AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SOUTHFIELD COMMUNITY
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SOUTHFIELD HOME PROGRAM THAT SAVED OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
The claim that the city of Southfield … the mayor, city council, and administration … have taken people’s properties is a complete and outrageous falsehood. Firstly, city officials have no authority or mechanism to seize homes. Banks, mortgage companies, and county treasurers have foreclosure power for failure to pay loans or taxes. After years of watching slumlords, speculators, flippers, and rental home companies buy up Southfield properties at the annual Oakland County Property Tax Auction, the City Council, following the lead of many other Detroit area communities, legally invoked “First Right of Refusal” on tax foreclosed properties beginning in 2016 and approved the formation of the Southfield Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (SNRI) to restore them.
This action blocked properties from going to auction and put a curb on the dramatically rising number of rental homes in Southfield. It said to speculators and slumlords, “Hands off our city.” Prior to this action, Southfield neighborhoods were pockmarked with empty homes being held by speculators, home flippers (who in many cases did little or no property improvements), and landlords (who did little or no maintenance on homes). At the height of the crisis, Southfield had 1,600 vacant homes for several years running. Some landlords even collected rent but purposefully didn’t pay taxes knowing the home would revert to the Oakland County Treasurer. In other instances, property owners simply abandoned their properties and walked away. Many, many vacant homes were vandalized and/or stripped.
True, a number of lawsuits were filed. Southfield was not held liable as the city did not foreclose or profit. The Oakland County Treasurer’s office profited from sales above the back taxes and fees at its annual auctions and was held liable. The City of Southfield has NOT paid one dime in county home foreclosure settlements. The City Council approved SNRI partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County to restore the tax foreclosed homes secured under “First Right of Refusal.” Once restored and environmentally safe, the homes were placed for sale on the open market. The SNRI program has run a deficit after financing environmental cleanups, demolition, renovations, and paying the county for the back taxes, water bills, and fees owed on the properties. Some of the tax foreclosed properties had back taxes and fees exceeding $80,000. The SNRI program was run by unpaid volunteers. The mayor did not appoint the board or serve on it. Again, no one in Southfield profited from the program that removed blight from neighborhoods, restored housing, improved property values, and put families in essentially new homes.
“Ambulance chasing attorneys” and people with political motivations are attempting to intentionally smear the reputations of the mayor, city council, Habitat for Humanity, and the SNRI volunteers.
Don’t buy what they are pedaling.
PAID FOR BY THE SOUTHFIELD NON-PROFIT NEIGHBORHOOD CORPORATION
19875 W. 12 Mile Road, Suite 458 -- Southfield, MI 48076
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FROM PUBLIC RECORDS
Is Tawanda Hall Credible?
Tawanda Hall claimed in a FOX Business News interview that Mayor Ken Siver said he was taking her house and money too. She also claimed in the interview that she only owed $900 on her house and missed one payment. That figure was her monthly payment to Oakland County for back taxes and NOT what was owed. The county gave her eight years before foreclosing. The county doesn’t foreclose over one missed payment. (Normally, tax foreclosure occurs after three years.) Mayor Siver has no authority or ability to seize a person’s property. Banks and county treasurers foreclose. Mayor Siver NEVER met with or spoke to Tawanda Hall. He does not know her. She may have confused him with the Oakland County Treasurer. The SNRI issued a statement to FOX News which wasn’t used in its report.
24xxx Martha Washington
24xxx Martha Washington is a 3,200 square-foot, tri-level home that was built in 1964. It has 3.5 baths.
Chronology
2009 House at 24xxx Martha Washington was purchased for $269,000 by the previous owner.
2010 Previous owner lost this home when she defaulted on a sub-prime Wells Fargo Bank mortgage
2010 Wells Fargo and other banks had thousands of mortgage foreclosed properties. Banks and mortgage companies sold off homes at a fraction of their value for a number of years.
2010 Wells Fargo sold 24xxx Martha Washington to Tawanda Hall for $67,000 ... $202,000 less than the previous sale.
2010 Tawanda Hall immediately fell behind in payment of property taxes. After several years of tax arrears, Oakland County placed Tawanda Hall on a tax payment plan.
2018 Oakland County Treasurer foreclosed on 24xxx for failure to stay current with payment plan. As of that date Tawanda Hall owed Oakland County $22,642 in back taxes.
2018 Under Michigan Law, Southfield City Council exercised First Right of Refusal and acquired 24xxx Martha Washington, paying the county $22,642 in back taxes.
2018 Southfield City Council Transfered 24xxx to the Southfield Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (SNRI)
2018 SNRI, a non-profit entity, reimbursed the city for the back taxes.
2019 Tawanda Hall lived tax-free for a year at 24xxx Martha Washington before vacating the home.
2019 When Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County entered 24xxx to begin the rehabilitation process it discovered the home had been used for an illegal marijuana grow operation. The electrical system was severely compromised; the house had been trashed. Extensive rehabilitation work, funded by SNRI, was needed for the house & grounds. At some point Tawanda Hall hired an attorney who promised her he’d to get 24xxx returned to her. That attorney employed any number of tactics to discredit the city, the SNRI, and Mayor Siver, including the sensationalized FOX interview. SNRI issued a statement to FOX that was never included in the interview. Mayor Siver never served on the SNRI board.
Marijuana was found everywhere in 24xxx -- ground into carpets, dead plants in lower level, wires strung from wall-to-wall in upper bedroom for drying plants. House and yard were totally trashed.