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Council discusses tax‑deed property procedure after member raises outreach concerns
Summary
Council considered a tax‑deeded property that remains owner‑occupied; staff said the usual process is auctioning owner‑occupied properties and that the former owner had received certified notices. Councilors asked that ward counselors be notified earlier and urged more outreach before sale.
Councilors discussed a tax‑deeded property the city now owns that remains occupied by the former owner. The city’s treasurer/tax collector described the standard procedure: the city deeds property after a statutory timeline, the property typically goes to auction as an owner‑occupied parcel, and purchasers acquire it subject to resolving occupancy through the purchaser’s legal remedies.
Councilor Brown said she had only recently learned of the specific property and asked that ward counselors be notified earlier so they could attempt outreach to relatives or pursue options to help keep people in their homes. Councilors pressed staff for details on outreach steps before deeding; staff said certified notices were sent and the owner had previously repurchased the property in 2020 but had not paid taxes since 2022.
Staff said that proceeds beyond costs and liens are distributed to parties with legal interest after auction and that the city follows an established, council‑reviewed process. Council voted to adopt the staff recommendation as presented.
Next steps: The property will be offered at auction as an owner‑occupied property and the standard post‑auction procedures (purchaser responsibility for occupancy issues) will apply; council requested improved notice to ward counselors in future cases.
