16 SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Cuomo delays New York City tax lien sale
BY ALEJANDRA O'CONNELL-DOMENECH
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Thousands of homeowners were
spared another fi nancial burden
aft er Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued
an executive order stopping the city’s
tax lien sale on Friday, Sept. 4.
Every year, the city’s Department
of Finance sells the tax lien claims of
homeowners who have been unable to
pay property or water bills to private
debt collectors. The sale was scheduled
to take place on May 15, but was postponed
until Friday, Sept. 4. due to the
novel coronavirus pandemic.
“It is the responsibility of government
to relieve the fi nancial hardships
of the people wherever possible, not
exacerbate them,” Attorney General
Letitia James said in a joint statement
with the governor’s offi ce.
James recently joined a coalition of
activists and over 50 other elected offi -
cials in calling for the removal of close
4,700 low-income homes located in the
neighborhoods hardest hit by the novel
coronavirus pandemic. Buildings on
the sale list are traditionally disproportionally
located in communities of
color.
“COVID-19 caused enormous disruption
in the daily lives of New Yorkers,
including their ability to keep a roof
over their head,” Cuomo said. “The
tax and water lien sale was delayed
in May in recognition of this hardship,
and given the current economic
climate, it makes sense to delay it again
so that homeowners aren’t facing further
uncertainty. This measure is part
and parcel with our ongoing eff orts to
help New Yorkers weather the ongoing
public health emergency.”
Queens offi cials — including state
Senators Leroy Comrie and John Liu,
Assemblyman David Weprin, City
Councilwoman Adrienne Adams and
Acting Queens Borough President
Sharon Lee — applauded Cuomo’a action
to further delay the tax and water
lien sale aft er James andPublic Advocate
Jumaane Williams had joined the
group of Queens lawmakers on Sept. 2
to demand that the annual sale of homeowner’s
debt be cancelled outright.
“The 2020 tax and water lien sale
was rightfully delayed in May due to
the unprecedented uncertainty and
economic disruption caused by the
COVID-19 public health emergency.
The families in Queens that we represent
and those throughout New
York City are still struggling, which
is why we called on the Mayor to take
immediate action to cancel the lien
sale,” Lee, Comrie, Liu, Weprin, Adams
and Councilman I. Daneek Miller
said in a join statement on Sept. 4.
“We thank Governor Cuomo and
Attorney General James for recognizing
that the 2020 lien sale posed
an urgent threat to working New
Yorkers and for taking immediate
action to save thousands of families,
nonprofi t organizations, and houses
of worship from the abuse of predatory
debt collectors by stopping the
lien sale scheduled for September 4.
We urge the city to lay out a robust
plan for contacting and assisting atrisk
property owners over the coming
weeks,” the group added.
Just minutes aft er the governor
issued the executive order, Mayor
Bill de Blasio issued a contradictory
statement delaying the sale until Sept.
25, to grant New Yorkers more time
to pay outstanding debts or sign up
for payment plans. It is unclear how
the executive order will impact the
supposed delay.
“COVID-19 has hit the pocketbooks
of New Yorkers hard, and we’re doing
whatever we can to give New Yorkers
some relief,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
“Postponing the lien sale will allow
New Yorkers more time to work with
the City on their best path forward.”
Queens lawmakers have called on Mayor Bill de Blasio to cancel the
city’s lien sale this year. Photo by Dean Moses
JJ’s ROOFING
All Work 100%
Guaranteed!
FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED 4 GENERATIONS
������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������
SENIOR
DISCOUNT
��������������������
����������������������������
SPECIAL 10%OFF
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
