13 Wyandotte County families are in danger of losing their homes in the Tax Sale on April 9th

Community Health Council of Wyandotte County and community volunteers are working to keep people in their homes.

KANSAS CITY, KS, UNITED STATES, March 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Elderly, sick, and disabled Wyandotte County homeowners are slated to lose their homes in the Tax Sale on April 9th. Wyandotte County implemented a punitive policy about a decade ago that prevents homeowners from paying off their oldest debt first. Instead, any payments made go toward the most recent tax year, preventing homeowners who are making payments on their debt from easily removing themselves from the tax sale.

Our team has been working with residents who are going through chemotherapy, who have recently suffered from strokes and heart attacks, who are foregoing necessary medicine to save money so they can stave off homelessness. The recent increases in property taxes have affected everyone in our community, but those on a fixed income who are unable to work are feeling the pain the most. They should not be rendered homeless simply because they got sick or because they aged out of the workforce.

Right now, we are in communication with 13 Wyandotte County families who could lose their home in 3 weeks. Most of these folks have lived in their homes for years and are instrumental to the fabric of their neighborhoods. We are looking for funding to pay off their taxes and make them whole again. In lieu of paying off their taxes, we are asking the County Commission to act to ensure that Wyandotte County residents, many of whom are struggling with intense medical issues, do not become homeless. Should they lose their homes, there is no way these families will be able to afford rent at an apartment complex that charges $1,500 per month.

Since 2021, advocates in Wyandotte County have successfully prevented 74 families from losing their homes in the tax sale by finding funds to pay off their back taxes. Approximately $80,000 is needed to prevent all 13 foreclosures, and the cost of preventing homelessness is far less than providing services for all these families once they’re on the street.

Options for preventing this displacement include 1. The Unified Government delaying the tax sale to give residents more time to come up with the money; 2. Reverse the policy of paying the most recent tax debt first, so that individuals can get off the tax sale list; and 3. Policy should be considered at the state level to exempt households from the tax sale if their only income is from social security or disability. In lieu of these policy decisions, the public can make contributions to this work at https://givebutter.com/savewycohomes

About Community Health Council of Wyandotte County :
Community Health Council of Wyandotte County (CHC) is committed to community and creating space for residents to lead efforts in the issues that matter most to them. We believe that residents have the ability, and an inherent right, to provide leadership in the shaping of physical spaces and public policies which impact their health. Our mission is to enhance health outcomes through informing, collaborating, aligning, mobilizing, and activating organizations, government entities and community members. We serve as a community convener, organizer, and intermediary between decision-makers, providers, and those in need through our collective health improvement efforts. CHC amplifies community voices to increase health care equity, quality, and access by addressing structural/political influencers of health, including racism and redlining, in Wyandotte County and the Greater Kansas City metro area. 

Molly Gotobed
Community Health Council of Wyandotte County
info@wycohealth.com
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Other