Sierra Vista, AZ – Apr. 11, 2023 – NTLA Executive Director Brad Westover today announced a disabled Cochise County couple facing property tax foreclosure will retain ownership of their home thanks to a donation from the National Tax Lien Association (NTLA) Foundation. On March 24 Cochise County Treasurer Cathy Traywick accepted the donation on behalf of the couple and applied it to their outstanding tax obligation.

The Sierra Vista couple was experiencing extreme financial hardship when they failed to pay their 2018 property tax bill. Following state statute, Cochise County sold the property tax obligation in its annual tax certificate sale. Guardian Tax Partners, a tax lien investing company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, purchased the tax certificate and proceeded with the collection.

“When tax lien investors purchase tax certificates to earn a reasonable return on investment, they help districts stabilize their tax collections,” said Traywick. “They also help property owners retain ownership of their homes. I see this as an oddly beautiful dichotomy.”

In rare cases where the property owner is unable to repay their outstanding property taxes, the tax lien investor must file property tax foreclosure as a way to recoup their investment, as was the case in Cochise County.

“Of all the responsibilities that come with my job, property tax foreclosure is the most difficult because I no longer have any legal ability to help the taxpayer keep their property,” said Traywick. “Tax collection processes are heavily weighted toward the property owner, but sometimes there are just no solutions left.”

In difficult situations like the one in Cochise County, the NTLA Foundation can help.

“When this unfortunate situation came to our attention, we helped the couple apply for assistance from the NTLA Foundation,” said Westover. “We also reached out to Guardian Tax Partners who generously donated funds to assist with the donation.”

The NTLA Foundation is the only safety net of its kind in the U.S., providing property preservation solutions to homeowners in financial hardship and acting as a resource to local government and members of the National Tax Lien Association. In addition to helping homeowners avoid losing their home to property tax foreclosure, the NTLA Foundation also helps them stay current on their most recent property tax bills.

“I want to thank the NTLA Foundation and Guardian Tax Partners for coming to the aid of our residents during their time of need,” concluded Traywick. “And I encourage other government officials to keep the NTLA Foundation in mind as a possible solution in dire cases like this one.”