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Chautauqua County is moving ahead with plans to hold a tax auction this summer.
Last year due to COVID-19, the county extended the tax foreclosure redemption date from April 15, 2020, to April 15, 2021, in order to afford additional time for property owners affected by the pandemic to redeem their foreclosed property. The April 15 date was later extended to May 1 and now is proposed to be extended to June 18.
"The state Legislature and the governor had signed legislation in December that put further limitations on foreclosure actions through May 1, 2021," explained Stephen Abdella, county attorney, during the legislature's Administrative Services Committee meeting this week.
Because of this, county officials believe that a mid-June date would work, which would also allow for a tax auction to take place in mid-August.
"That gives us time to finalize the judgment and also have the usual reacquisition period for at least a month prior to the auction. It gives the owners the final chance to acquire the property back," Abdella said.
According to Todd Button, deputy director of finance, this proposed August auction would only be for properties that are delinquent on 2018 taxes. "Assuming we can get by this little hurdle, then come next January we're going to have a double (auction) for the (delinquent) '19s and '20s and run that together," he said.
Individuals who are behind on their 2018 property taxes will be given until June 18 to pay off the foreclosure delinquency. However, according to Button, in order to reacquire their property they would have to pay off everything they own. If they don't, they could still lose their property in 2022.
Should the June 18 tax foreclosure redemption date be finalized, the county will send out letters directly to delinquent property owners affected, explaining to them the new timeline, process and cost.
Administrative Services Committee Chairman Bob Scudder, R-Fredonia, asked both Button and Abdella if they think this will be the last time the state will extend foreclosure actions, but neither had any insight.
"It's up in the air," Button said.
Button said assuming they are permitted to hold an auction in August, he isn't sure where it will take place. Previous auctions have been held at the Chautauqua Lake Central School building, however that facility will not be available to them due to a planned construction project this summer. "We're looking at other options right now," he said.
The Audit and Control Committee unanimously agreed to the June 18 tax foreclosure redemption date. The full legislature will vote on the resolution next week.