Can We Collect Property Taxes Without Stealing Home Equity? Problems of Property Tax Liens

March 8, 2023, 3:30 to 4:45
George Washington University's Textile Museum

Policy Brief
The Problems with Property Tax Liens and How to Improve Property Tax Enforcement
By Cameron LaPoint and Daniel Burge

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If you don't pay your property taxes, the city has the right to foreclose on your property. But did you know that in many jurisdictions, including Maryland and the District of Columbia, that the city has the right to the entire value of your house if you have even a very small unpaid property tax liability?

In this event, Cameron LaPoint from the Yale School of Management tells us about tax lien policy and its implications for cities writ large. We are then joined for an expert panel to help us understand the causes of, consequences from, and policy solutions to these issues.

Our expert panel is moderated by the Urban Institute's John Buhl and includes

• John Green, Blackstar Real Estate
Mr. Green is an experienced developer who has worked with many of these properties after they have left the owners' hands.
• Joanne Savage, Legal Counsel for the Elderly
Ms Savage has counseled many elderly clients whose homes have been at risk of foreclosure and has seen the evolution of these policies in the District of Columbia.
• Todd Gaziano, Chief of Legal Policy and Strategic Research, Pacific Legal Foundation.
The Pacific Legal Foundation is representing the plaintiff in a case coming before the Supreme Court this spring on what is known as “home equity theft.”

Find full speaker bios here.