Ohio counties see surge in property tax lien sales

Since the pandemic, Ohio counties have dramatically increased the sale of unpaid property tax liens. Cuyahoga County sold $18 million last month, Franklin County $10 million last year, and Lucas County is preparing its first sale since 2008. Investors from across the Midwest purchase these liens, gaining the right to collect up to 18 % interest, which some local treasurers negotiate down. Critics compare the practice to payday loans, warning it can trap cash‑strapped homeowners in debt cycles and lead to foreclosures.

State lawmakers are responding. A bipartisan group in the Ohio House is pushing legislation to prohibit the sale of tax‑debt certificates, while Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has pledged to curb the lending practices. Acton also proposed a conditional moratorium on new data‑center projects that would require environmental, transparency and labor standards, echoing compromises previously negotiated by House Speaker Matt Huffman.