Tax Lien Intervention Project

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The Tax Lien Intervention Project is a program that was created in response to low- to moderate-income residents who were losing their mobile homes due to missed property tax payments, usually a missed payment of less than $200. When property tax bills are not paid – specifically for mobile homes – the mobile homes are vulnerable to a tax lien purchase where a buyer can begin the process of taking ownership of the property. If the lien buyer is able to complete the purchase, they are then able to raise sale or rental prices higher than the current occupants can pay, leaving the current resident without housing. The short-term impacts are hard enough for the mobile home resident, but in the longer term, the opportunity for these low- to moderate-income families to own or simply occupy a single-family home in the community lost, further limiting the housing options for this vulnerable population. The Boulder County Housing & Financial Counseling Program partnered with the Boulder County Treasurer’s Office to investigate the reasons why some residents were not paying, and attempted to reach the mobile home residents at risk for tax lien sale to explain the payment process, consequences of non-payment, and possible solutions. After this effort, 99% of residents in mobile homes are paying property tax bills.