DETROIT – The Rocket Community Fund and the Gilbert Family Foundation have made a major commitment to people living in Detroit.
They’re working to end tax foreclosure for thousands of families. On Tuesday (Nov. 9) they got a new partner in that fight -- Experian.
The Rocket Community Fund has a goal of making sure people can stay in their homes by keeping up with their property taxes. In the past, people have gone door to door to let residents know the help is available, but now they’ll also be reaching out by phone.
“It’s not much. I mean, this is not a million-dollar house but it is to me. You know, but it is to me,” Detroit resident Joanne Smith said.
Smith moved into her Detroit home when she was 27 years old.
“Important history in our family up in here. You know, babies. All kinds of stuff,” Smith said.
When Smith lost her job and had a back injury she nearly lost her home.
“Three years ago I was facing foreclosure. Went into foreclosure. And then the city, you know, came up with this program. Which, I was so overjoyed and I’m still overjoyed,” Smith said.
The Hope Program, through the Rocket Community Fund, offers property tax exemption to Detroit residents who fall below a certain income threshold.
“But we need to actually reach out to every family living in properties behind on their property taxes in order to get them access to these tools,” VP of Strategic Investments for Rocket Community Fund Laura Grannemann said.
Thanks to a recent partnership with Experian, the Rocket Community Fund will be able to reach out to people by phone.
“Now we can actually get phone numbers for every family to be able to do a call center outreach,” Grannemann said.
The fund hopes the partnership will keep more people from moving so they can stay in the neighborhoods that they know and love.
“I didn’t want to move,” Smith said. “Once I learned my neighbors and the kids around here -- some kids across the street. They love me.”
Outreach for the Hope Program will begin in the next couple of weeks.
If you live in Detroit and you’re behind on your property taxes, you can contact the Rocket Community Fund on your own.
The number to call is: 313-244-0274
Click here to learn more about the Rocket Community Fund.