Jared Evan
Queens elected officials are looking to block the de Blasio administration from selling overdue taxes owed by delinquent property owners for debt collection or foreclosure amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The NY Post reported: Sen. Leroy Comrie and Assemblyman David Weprin, both Queens Democrats, argue it is wrong to threaten squeezed homeowners during the public health crisis.
Their proposal would halt collections proceedings, would bar the city from holding a lien sale until one year after Gov. Andrew Cuomo lifts the emergency order declaring that the pandemic is over.
Surprisingly, Real Deal reported: from the tax bills issued in June, some $8.61 billion poured in through July 25, up 5.3 percent from the same period a year ago, thanks to higher assessments and new construction coming online.
Even with this mild good news, delinquency grew in Manhattan, to 5.7 percent from 5.5 percent, and Staten Island, to 10.6 percent from 10 percent.
Vacant hotels have drastically slowed up property tax collection, played a big part of delinquency in Manhattan. Major hotels including the city’s largest, the shuttered New York Hilton Midtown, which in mid-August was the city’s top delinquent, owing $11.9 million that was due July 1.
The city has rescheduled the sale from March for as early as Sept. 4 for the tardy property taxes and water and sewer fees on some 9,500 residential and commercials properties, according to Finance Department records, obtained by the NY Post.
When the city sells a lien to a collection group, the delinquent tax account must be paid upon threatening letter or risk a legal seizure of their property. NY is overly aggressive in regard to tax collection, a debt as small as $1000 in taxes, will result in the threatening lien letter. NY raked in $304,992,923 in taxes for the year 2019, second highest in the nation behind California, and 3rd highest per capita.
“Homeowners facing the lien sale need ample time to consult with attorneys, enter into payment agreements, and learn about exemption programs ahead of the sale”, Sen. Leroy Comrie told the NY Post.
“COVID-19 has made this all but impossible to do on the scale that we need it to happen. The tax lien sale can’t happen this year, and I’m going to raise hell between now and September 4th to see to it that it doesn’t.”
