Job Details

Under the supervision of the Property Tax Coordinator, assist in the administration of all aspects of PA 123 of 1999 and MCL 211.78a-t to ensure all statutory requirements are met. Act as main coordinator for the statutory processes of MCL 211.78m and 211.78t. Proficiently use BS&A Software for record keeping, mailings, and reports. Coordinate large projects (statutory requirements of process, vendor contact, personal service, title work, preventative services, auction coordination, and long term data collection for research purposes). Assist in the training and supervision of the Foreclosure Prevention Specialist and Foreclosure Prevention Community Outreach Coordinator. Assists Property Tax Coordinator with the networking of taxpayers to social service providers and other efforts to avoid foreclosure.  Maintains exacting paper and computer records for all parcels in delinquency, forfeiture and foreclosure.  Obtain data on property owner from various sources including Register of Deeds, internet searches, and other government databases to correct for bad address and determine if deceased. Track the progress of homeowners who are actively working with the Foreclosure Prevention Office. File data for recording during Court process. Organize and coordinate foreclosed properties through the auction process.  Performs a variety of other tasks related to the administration of statute and communication between non-profit, community agencies and government organizations. The Foreclosure Prevention Office (FPO), under which this position falls, is to aid in the collection of over $18,000,000 in delinquent real property taxes for Ingham County (data as of 2021). This figure does not include the additional statutory interest and fees collected throughout the twenty-five month statutory process. The Foreclosure Prevention Office is entrusted with balancing this statutory collection process as defined by PA 123 of 1999 and MCL 211.78a-t, with the need for assistance to property owners experiencing hardship to help them save and protect their financial assets. Working with homeowners and their families to prevent loss of often their greatest asset(s), helps keep families safely houses, prevents homelessness and mitigates blight in Ingham County. Proficiency in all processes of this office is required as all FPO staff must work collaboratively to meet statutory deadlines.

Essential Functions

1. Understand and interpret statute PA 123 of 1999 and MCL 211.78a-t for successful administration of statutory requirements. Including researching legal opinions, state requirements, and other opt-in county operations. Engage and consult attorney for issues that require legal counsel.
2. Effectively communicate the PA 123 of 1999 and MCL 211.78a-t process and legal requirements through ongoing training with staff. Must also be able to effectively communicate the statutes with the constituents to whom it affects. Includes written, electronic, and in person communication with at risk property owners.
3. Enact all statutory aspects of PA 123 of 1999 from the point of foreclosure, specifically MCL 211.78t (as amended in 2020). Includes tracking and notification of potential claimants for excess proceeds. Drafting and filing required legal forms in compliance of the associated court process. Tracking the progress of these court cases in association with our legal counsel. Communicate the process and expectations with claimants and claimant’s legal representation across the 14+ month post-foreclosure process.
4. Plan, coordinate and manage the Auction process as stipulated in MCL 211.78m (as amended in 2020) which brings in over a million dollars in sales annually. Includes tracking the county expense associated to each foreclosed parcel and the associated spending that takes place on that parcel from the point of foreclosure. Creating an auction list and calculating the opening bids for auction to recover the outstanding county expense. Involves pulling data from multiple sources including local municipalities, code enforcement agencies, and the Ingham County Land Bank to accurately calculate the minimum bids as per MCL 211.78m(5).
5. Coordinate evictions of foreclosed properties in association with legal counsel. Compassionately and effectively communicate with homeowners and property occupants regarding their foreclosed properties. Communicate timelines and expectations of both the County and their multiple representatives that will be acting at foreclosed properties over the required period of time.

• Assist main office as needed for absences and vacations by answering the phone and providing costumer service. Perform tax certifications on deeds, accept delinquent tax payments and issue dog licenses as needed.
• Utilize office machinery such as folders and printers and have confidence to trouble shoot as needed. 

Employment Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science, social work, urban planning, economics, or a related field. Requires title work, real estate knowledge, legislation, social service work and collaboration with other governmental entities which demands a high degree of critical thinking skills and high attention to detail.

Experience: 3 to 5 years experience working with social service agencies or in a customer service field is a plus. Experience with law, legal documents, and interpreting legal writings is a plus.

Other Requirements:                                                                

• Ability to work independently without continuous supervision and hold oneself accountable to statutory deadlines.
• Must possess a high degree of integrity and trustworthiness due to access to databases that contain people’s confidential and personal information, including Accurint/Lexis Nexis, court records, County Clerk records and the Register of Deeds.
• High accuracy and quality is necessary to limit financial liability from law suits.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Valid Michigan Driver’s License and reliable transportation.

The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in this job description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.

ICEA PRO 8

2022