Posted March 16, 20159:06 am
The Plain Dealer/Northeast Ohio Media Group reported today that "Local housing advocates are continuing to push for changes in Cuyahoga County's practice of capturing delinquent property taxes by outsourcing collections to private companies."
A study recently released by the Vacant and Abandoned Property Action Council (VAPAC), a group of advocates, researchers and local government officials, concludes that the county hasn't sufficiently addressed possible long-term negative impacts before selling the right to collect on the delinquent taxes.
The Plain Dealer story notes "The VAPAC study cited allegations made in a January letter to county officials by the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. Attorneys with the non-profit group, which provides legal services to the poor, said Woods Cove in some cases had charged excessive interest rates on people who owed delinquent taxes, and foreclosed on people even after they entered into payment plans, among other issues."