Property tax liens pose a significant threat to older homeowners’ ownership & equity, with a disproportionate impact on Black homeownership. In almost all states, local governments have the power to impose a tax lien on a property when there are unpaid property taxes, or unpaid water and sewer charges. If the tax lien foreclosure goes through, homeowners may lose not only their homes, but in many cases all of the surplus equity in their homes. For example, a tax debt of $10,000 can result in an older homeowner, who has accumulated a lifetime of equity in their $300,000 home, losing everything.

This webinar will:

• Provide practical information to legal services attorneys, elder rights advocates, & housing counselors on the tax lien foreclosure process;

• Share strategies to defend against tax foreclosures; 

• Discuss areas for advocacy for change in systems & practices to address the historical & current racial discrimination built into housing and tax policies, & provide equitable relief to preserve homeownership, particularly for older Black, Latinx & other homeowners at greater risk of dispossession.

Presenters will preview the next topics in the Preserving Homeownership Series, which will focus on tangled title issues and Medicaid liens.

Presenters:

• Maryann Flanigan, Legal Services of New Jersey

• Jacquelyn Griffin, Brooklyn Legal Services NYC

• Patti Prunhuber, Justice in Aging

• Odette Williamson, National Consumer Law Center

A link for captions will be shared through GoToWebinar’s chat box. Computer audio will be the only option to listen to the presentation. This webcast will be recorded & available on our website, & emailed to all registrants after the training. We are committed to keeping any personally identifiable information you provide to us secure. Please only provide professional, not personal, email information. We will not sell, transfer, or provide this information to any other entity. You can read HHS’s full privacy policy here: https://www.acl.gov/node/445.