OAKLAND COUNTY —  This week Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner announced Oakland County’s participation in a new property tax foreclosure prevention initiative that will help pay the delinquent taxes, interest, and fees of eligible homeowners up to $30,000 from federal “Hardest Hit” dollars administered by the Michigan Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) under the program, Step Forward Michigan, Loan Rescue Program. 

Under the program starting Tuesday, January 15, 2013, delinquent taxpayers may be eligible to have their delinquent taxes, interest, fees, and condominium association dues paid off from a pool of federal foreclosure relief dollars Michigan received initially for mortgage foreclosure prevention, but is now expanding eligibility to include payment of back taxes. 

In order to qualify, homeowners must live in their home as a primary residence, demonstrate a significant hardship that has caused them to fall behind on their property tax obligations, and they can’t have more than six months of family cash reserves.  Previous beneficiaries of other Hardest Hit/Step Forward Michigan programs are not eligible. 

For information contact Deputy Treasurer Lauren Bloom with the Oakland County Foreclosure Prevention Initiative at 248-858-0624, visit www.stepforwardmichigan.org, or call the hotline at 866-946-7432.