‘I pay my bills’: Chicago woman loses home despite paying property taxes on time for over a decade — sold for ‘delinquent taxes.’ How did this happen?

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-07 02:03:41 | Updated at 2024-12-23 06:20:52 2 weeks ago

‘I pay my bills’: Chicago woman loses home despite paying property taxes on time for over a decade — sold for ‘delinquent taxes.’ How did this happen?
moneywise ^ | Dec 06, 2024 | Danielle Antosz

Posted on 12/06/2024 5:51:23 PM PST by where's_the_Outrage?

Robin McElroy, a Morgan Park resident, has cherished her Chicago home since purchasing it in 2012. But now, she’s facing panic and frustration over a mix-up involving unpaid property taxes.

Despite proof of consistent payments since 2012, McElory recently received a letter from the Cook County Circuit Court stating her home was sold for delinquent taxes, and she may owe three years of back rent to the buyer.

According to McElroy, she's never been late on her taxes. She even showed CBS News Chicago reporters proof of her tax payments.

It’s been a long-standing issue for McElroy — one she thought she had cleared up in 2019. Yet, the recent court notice has resurrected the ordeal, leaving her scrambling to reclaim her home.

In Cook County, which includes Chicago and its suburbs, property taxes are due twice a year. Taxes not paid by the first due date in March are considered "delinquent," and interest begins to accrue. If the second installment is due in mid-summer and remains unpaid, the property can be sold at an annual tax sale. However, homeowners typically receive a warning via certified mail, and paying the taxes in full before the sale prevents the property from being sold.

McElroy's case is different — she was never late on her taxes. In 2019, a letter from the Treasurer's Office explained that her property identification number (PIN) — a unique 14-digit code used for tax purposes — had been swapped with McElroy's next-door neighbor’s PIN on the assessor’s website. As a result, McElroy’s tax payments were misapplied to the wrong property.

The 2019 letter confirmed McElroy had paid her taxes correctly and stated there were "no grounds to proceed with a sale." Reassured, McElroy thought the issue was resolved. "They actually told me, 'Don't worry about it,'"

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...

TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Society
KEYWORDS: government; governmentimmunity; incompetence; propertytaxes

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Government employees should not be shielded from their incompetence.

To: All

recently received a letter from the Cook County Circuit Court stating her home was sold for delinquent taxes, and she may owe three years of back rent to the buyer.

Time to get the band back together. There’s still time.

"It's 106 miles to Chicago, she’s got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and she’s wearing sunglasses."

2 posted on 12/06/2024 5:57:23 PM PST by mmichaels1970 ( )

To: mmichaels1970

The county and its idiots should have to pay huge damages to both sides of this issue and she should get clear title and should be relieved of taxes for the rest of her life.

3 posted on 12/06/2024 6:02:05 PM PST by AndyJackson

To: AndyJackson

4 posted on 12/06/2024 6:03:34 PM PST by mmichaels1970 ( )

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