WASHINGTON, DC - The District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue announced this week that it will sell at public auction over $17.8 million in real property tax liens - both commercial and residential - for which property taxes were unpaid during the 1999 tax year. Property owners have until the date of the auction to pay their taxes, in order to avoid having their properties sold.
According to Herbert Huff, Acting Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Tax and Revenue, the sale provides an important source of revenue for the District. "Last year, 2,941 properties were sold and nearly $8,271,000 in delinquent tax revenue was collected as a result of the tax sale," says Huff. "By bringing these properties back on to the active tax rolls, we help provide a sounder financial base for the District."
The public auction, to be held on Tuesday, July 18, is an annual event required by DC statute. A list of all properties by parcel, square, suffix, and lot number with the name of the owner of record and the unpaid tax amount will be advertised this week in The Washington Times and New Dimension.
The sale will begin on July 18, and will be held on the 4th floor of 941 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC. It will continue each day (except on Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) between the hours of 8:30 am and 12:00 noon, and between the hours of 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm until all 8,140 properties are sold. Individuals must register to participate.
The Office of Tax and Revenue will conduct two public seminars on Thursday, July 13, to explain tax sale procedures. The seminars will be held from 9 am to 12 noon, and from 2 pm to 4 pm on the 4th floor of 941 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC. Pre-registration is required, since seating for each seminar will be limited to 200. To enroll, please call Customer Service at (202) 727-4TAX or visit the 1st floor Customer Service Walk-In Center at 941 North Capitol Street, NE, and give your name and which seminar you wish to attend.
Property owners wishing to settle their tax obligations prior to the sale should pay the 1999 liability reflected in their final due bill. Anyone with questions about the status of their property taxes should contact the Office of Tax and Revenue at (202) 727-4TAX. Anyone with questions about the public auction should contact the Tax Sale Unit at (202) 442-6748.
The Office of Tax and Revenue collects $2.8 billion in taxes annually, including nearly $600 million in real property taxes, and is the main source of revenue generation for the District of Columbia.