A year after Detroit filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in the U.S., the county government is launching an unprecedented effort to foreclose all properties that are three or more years behind in taxes. Whereas Wayne County foreclosed 42,000 properties in 2013 and 56,000 so far this year, the aggressive new push will affect an additional 80,000 property owners, 70,000 of them in Detroit.
Wayne County treasurer David Szymanski told Motor City Muckracker that, as the economy improves, people just need to pay up in order for the county to sustain critical services like police and fire protection. Getting a foreclosure notice doesn't necessarily mean the homeowners will lose their houses, but it's a strong nudge to start paying their bills and seek out the state's homeowner assistance programs. Affected property owners will be notified by regular and registered mail, and can also expect a knock on the door and some foreboding foreclosure signs in the front yard.
· For The First Time Foreclosure Notices Go To Every Tax Delinquent Property: 70,000 in Detroit [Curbed Detroit]
· Wayne County begins foreclosure process on a whopping 80,000 properties [Motor City Muckracker]