A tax lien is a legal claim placed on your property by the City due to unpaid property taxes, water and sewer charges, and other property-related charges.
If you don’t resolve your debt, the City will sell the lien to an authorized buyer. When the City sells a lien, it’s not selling your property. The lien holder buys the right to collect the money that you owe the City. Liens are never offered for sale to the general public.
If the taxes and/or charges are not paid or resolved, the new lienholder can begin a foreclosure proceeding in court.
If the City places a lien on your property, the Department of Finance will mail you warning notices before your property is included in a lien sale.
If you receive a notice, you should take one of the following steps to avoid having your property sold in the lien sale:
- Pay the amount you owe
- Apply for a property tax exemption
- Submit a COVID-19 Hardship Declaration
- Enroll in a payment plan or deferral program
- Request military debt relief
- Submit an Emergency Repair Certification (only for ERP charges)
More information can be found here.