The Problem

Since 2009, the City of Detroit has illegally over assessed property values and inflated its property tax bills. When homeowners cannot afford to pay, Wayne County forecloses on their homes. Despite efforts to address the problem, the City continues to illegally and inequitably tax Detroiters, especially those who own lower-valued homes.

100,000

Since 2009, Wayne County has foreclosed on 1 in 3 Detroit homes, displacing over 100,000 Detroiters, for failure to pay the City’s inflated tax bills.

$600 Million

The amount the City of Detroit Overtaxed Homeowners by from 2010 to 2016.

25%

The County would not have foreclosed on 25 percent of the lowest-valued homes between 2011 and 2015 if the City had correctly assessed its property taxes.

Who we are

Founded in 2017, the Coalition For Property Tax Justice is a collective of 15+ long-standing Detroit grassroots organizations formed to accomplish three goals:

1 Stop unconstitutional property tax assessments in Detroit

2 Compensate Detroiters who the City overtaxed or have already experienced tax foreclosure

3 Ensure homeowners who the City illegally overtaxed or who qualify for tax exemption do not lose their homes

Coalition Members

“Until they pay Detroiters back the money and homes that they stole from us, we can't say we won."

Sonja Bonnett, Affected Detroit Homeowner

"It's like a revolving credit card. You can pay a minimum. You'll never get out of the hole."

Roderick Randolph, Affected Detroit Homeowner

"The city robbed us!"

Havana Robinson, Affected Detroit Homeowner

"For me, a home is not just a piece of property. It's where life has existed."

Di Leshea Scott, Affected Detroit Homeowner

"There is a profit to racism. There is a profit to this type of oppression. Someone is making money off of our pain."

Rashida Tlaib, U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District

"There must be accountability: the compensation."

Dr. Cornel West, Philosopher, Political Activist, Social Critic, and Educator

"Until we accept that this problem is continuing, there is absolutely no way to come to a solution to that problem."

Bernadette Atuahene, James E. Jones Chair, University of Wisconsin Law School

Join the MOVEMENT!

You can do something about illegally inflated property taxes and unjust tax foreclosures in Detroit!

Governor Whitmer must investigate and end illegally inflated property tax assessments in Detroit and the State of Michigan.

Mayor Mike Duggan must compensate residents who the City illegally overtaxed or who experienced foreclosure on due to illegally inflated property taxes.

Wayne County Treasruer Eric Sabree must stop foreclosing on owner-occupied homes that the City charged illegally inflated taxes.

Take ACTION

“Until we accept that this problem is continuing, there is absolutely no way to come to a solution to that problem.”

Professor Berndatte Atuahene, Professor of law, author, documentary filmmaker, and community organizer

Learn from residents and researchers about the unjust over taxation.

Since its founding, the Coalition has compiled academic research, filed lawsuits, and launched a national campaign, garnering attention nationwide.

Learn More

Join the fight for property tax justice!

Fight to protect homeownership because #BlackHomesMatter!