"A lot of people aren't able to come to sheriff's sales during the week," said Pat West, a Sheriff's Office representative. "We're going to open up the process to many more residents."
More than 5,000 properties are eligible for sheriff's sales in the city. About $45 million in unpaid real estate taxes are due on these abandoned properties, said Sharon Humble, a lawyer with Linebarger, Goggan, Blair, Pena & Sampson L.L.P., the firm that handles some of the city's tax-lien foreclosures.
"The only way to collect is if the owner writes a check and pays up, or through these sheriff's sales," Humble said.
Renewing sources of tax revenue is a prime motivation for popularizing the sheriff's sale, representatives said.
"We need to bring these houses back on the tax rolls," said State Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Phila.).
Evans met with West, Humble, and other community representatives in front of a vacant rowhouse in the West Oak Lane area to pitch the sheriff's sales.
The house, nestled in the middle of a quiet, clean block with newly paved sidewalks and posted "curb your dog" signs, has been empty since its owner passed away 10 years ago, neighbors said.
"This issue has a lot to do with the question of quality of life," Evans said.
Valued in 2001 at $30,800, the West Oak Lane house is one of more than 200 up for auction in the next sheriff's sale. Its starting bid is about $10,500.
Opening bids for auction properties are based on back taxes, penalties and attorney's fees, and range from about $1,800 to $20,000. About 150 to 200 houses, vacant lots and office spaces go up for auction each month, Humble said, but only 25 to 35 are sold.
Sheriff's sales are now held at 1 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month at the First District Plaza, 3801 Market St. The next sale will be Wednesday.
Contact Nora Achrati at 215-854-2786 or nachrati@phillynews.com.
