The Tax Lien Sale Hundreds of community spaces are currently at risk of disappearing due to the Department of Finance’ s tax lien sale. Each year, New York City sells between $ 70 and $ 120 million in unpaid property tax debt to a private trust in the Department of Finance tax-lien sale. This sale includes debt against properties owned by charitable organizations that act as key community hubs— daycares, gardens, churches— that are, under the New York State Constitution, entitled to remain exempt from property taxes. And it includes debt against a couple thousand vacant and abandoned properties with no owner to hold accountable. 1
596 Acres is advocating for the exemption of communityowned properties and vacant lots with absentee owners from future sales. We are also working to mitigate the harm
ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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