Help is on the way for delinquent property taxes

Contributed

Mayor Aftab Pureval with Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and Councilmembers Mark Jeffreys and Scotty Johnson advocated for a $1 million fund to help low and moderate income families with delinquent property taxes. Earlier this year, Hamilton County Commissioner President Alicia Reece created a fund to help Hamilton County residents with delinquent property taxes and mortgage payments.

 “The state’s recent increase in our property taxes made it necessary to find a way to help families meet that financial challenge and stay in their homes,” said Kearney. To be eligible for the City’s fund, applicants must have incomes of 80% area median income or lower and be residents of Cincinnati. The fund is only to assist with delinquent property taxes on the applicant’s primary residence.

“When the state raised property taxes, we started getting phone calls from residents who were panicking,” said Kearney. “We found out that property values and property taxes had gone up in most of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods. Taxes in some low to moderate income neighborhoods were higher than in more affluent suburban neighborhoods,” Kearney said. “Our goal is to make sure that residents keep their homes.”

The records from the Hamilton County Treasurer’s Office reported in March that there was a $3.2 million property tax delinquency in Cincinnati. The neighborhood delinquency figures are attached. The proposed $1 million fund will not cover that entire amount, but it will help many of Cincinnati’s low and moderate income residents. Hamilton County also has a fund established by Commissioner President Alicia Reece, to help property owners with delinquent property taxes and mortgage payments, Kearney pointed out. “City funds aren’t the only source for help, but we will be one source for City residents,” Kearney added.

City Council unanimously passed the motion to allocate $1 million for property tax relief last month. The ordinance to actually establish the fund went before the Budget & Finance Committee on Monday, May 6. City Council was expected to pass the ordinance at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, May 8.