Michigan’s Wayne County is halting foreclosures on some homes and businesses through 2022 to help those negatively affected by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wayne County Treasurer Eric Sabree requested Thursday that a circuit court extend a ban on foreclosures of occupied homes and commercial properties through March 31, 2022. A judge issued an order Monday granting that request, keeping those occupied homes and commercial properties from being auctioned this year.
According to the county, 2,400 owner-occupied homes and 178 occupied commercial properties are facing foreclosure as of May 6.
“Our number one priority remains keeping people in their homes, and too many Wayne County taxpayers are still suffering significant economic hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis,” Sabree said Thursday. “Knowing that our recovery will take some time, we want to make some allowances in light of the pandemic.”
Wayne County homeowners are still required to pay property taxes during this extension.
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A similar hold on most foreclosures in Wayne County was granted last year when the pandemic first struck.
Unoccupied homes and vacant land are still subject to foreclosure following the judge’s order.
About 4,100 non-owner occupied residential properties are currently facing foreclosure, the county said. Unoccupied structures facing foreclosure can avoid foreclosure if the required payments are made by May 14, 2021.
Learn more at the Wayne County Treasurer Office’s website here, or contact the treasurer’s office by email at taxinfo@waynecounty.com or by phone at 313-224-5990.
Related: Treasurer: Macomb County will not foreclose occupied homes, businesses in 2021