DETROIT – For Paul and Lisa Hamilton, the last three years had been a nightmare.
They fell behind on taxes as he has endured four spinal surgeries in the last three calendar years.
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“I’ve been up and down for three years, and she helped, you know, keep us afloat,” Paul said on Thursday morning.
The Hamiltons’ home was saved thanks to the PAYS Program – which stands for “Pay as You Stay.”
On Thursday (Aug. 20) morning, Mayor Mary Sheffield and Wayne County Treasurer Eric Sabree announced the program’s return.
Thanks to the recent renewal of state Senate Bill 423, Wayne County’s PAYS and the city of Detroit’s HOPE program can continue their partnership, which has helped prevent foreclosure for more than 18,000 Detroit homeowners.
This is a joint effort between Wayne County’s PAYS program — which stands for “pay as you stay” — and the city of Detroit’s HOPE program.
Together, they have helped more than 18,000 Detroiters keep their homes since its inception in 2020.
“There’s so many people who are struggling with difficulties based on the economy, their illness, or other circumstances that are beyond their control,” Sabree said on Thursday. “This program is really a great safety net.”
The treasurer’s office notifies qualified applicants of a reduced tax amount and can either pay in full with a 10% reduction or enter into a 3-year, zero-interest payment plan.
The program selects applicants quarterly.
“And if you live in the city of Detroit, one of our other partners, the Gilbert Family Foundation, pays off the balance,” Sabree said. “So you end up with a zero balance and fresh start”
Sabree said that the Gilbert Foundation has spent at least $15 million in clearing debts.
“Me and the treasurer have this unusual relationship where we’ll call each other in the middle of the night with ideas and concepts on how we can help homeowners stay in their homes,” Willie Donwell, the director of the HOPE program, said. “We had homeowners that were struggling with the payment of property taxes for a myriad of issues.
“We needed to make sure that we had ways for people to be able to look for those opportunities to address those property tax issues,” he added. “We have to think about where the forgiveness is and where the opportunities exist.”
For the Hamiltons, the opportunity came after Lisa researched tax forgiveness programs and found PAYS. After contacting the city, she signed up for the program.
“It was basically like a waiting game for the next three months,” she said. “But I got that email that said that I qualified, and that the Gilbert Foundation will pay the remaining balance of it.”
Paul still walks with a cane and is recovering from his most recent procedure, which happened last week. He’s eternally thankful for the program that helped get his family out of major trouble.
“It’s nothing but up from here,” he said. “I’ve been down too long. Now it’s up!”
Wayne County homeowners can learn more about enrollment and eligibility for PAYS by contacting the Treasurer’s office at 313-224-5990 or emailing at treasurer@waynecounty.com.
Detroit homeowners who are experiencing tax problems have until Nov. 6 to apply for the HOPE program. Detroit residents can learn more about the HOPE program at www.detroitmi.gov/HOPE