By: Denis Cyr
Gov. Andrew Cuomo just extended the ban on the city’s tax lien sale for another month, and delinquent property owners breathed a sigh of relief at least temporality.
The governor signed an executive order Monday delaying lien sale statewide through Nov. 3. Without the order, the city’s lien sale on overdue property taxes, water and sewer bills could have resumed this week, Real Deal Reported.
TJV News previously reported: the city’s Department of Finance had scheduled the tax lien sale for May 15, and it had already been delayed till Friday September 4. Because of the ongoing Coronavirus claims of homeowners who have been unable to pay property or water bills to private debt collectors. The sale was scheduled to take place on May 15. but was postponed until Friday, Sept. 4. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the sale will not take place till October 3rd.
November 3rd will be the fourth date set for the lien sale. One must wonder with a second business suffocating COVID-19 lockdown possibly waiting in the wings, if the sale will be delayed yet again?
The Real Deal reported: property owners and elected officials have repeatedly called on the city to delay the sale, which is administered by the Department of Finance. Last week, Assembly members Harvey Epstein and Robert Carroll penned a letter calling on the mayor to end the sale permanently, saying the city should instead convert foreclosed properties into affordable housing for low-income residents.
More than 9,000 properties were eligible for the city’s lien sale as of Aug. 17. With nearly $9 billion in tax revenue wiped out from the COVID lockdowns, the situation is dire. It would seem that the lien sale would only be a miniscule amount of money compared to the tremendous loss of revenue; however, anything to help close the gap would be welcome.
Business owners meanwhile are stunned at the latest decision to intensify lockdowns measures in several zip codes, mainly in Brooklyn.
“At this point, we know more about the virus, and its time people take responsibility in their own decisions, because a few people who should be staying home are not, we all suffer. The numbers do not lie, the majority are not in deadly danger from the virus. There is no need for another lockdown”- a local store owner in Marine Park told TJV.