Cook County officials call for change of tax sale system
Updated 5/15/2021 5:23 PM Cook County officials Saturday spoke in support of changes to the tax sale system that they said would help homeowners keep their properties and help municipalities move more quickly to save abandoned properties. When homeowners in Illinois fall behind on property taxes, penalties and interest of up to 18% are assessed every 6 months. Tax delinquency and escalating fines drive abandonment, and it then can take years to name a new owner even when no owner claims the property, officials said.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle joined a coalition of suburban mayors and other local leaders to support Senate Bill 1721, the Homeowner Relief and Community Recovery Act. The bill passed in the Senate last month.