Brooklyn Borough President Candidate Khari Edwards Calls for Cancellation of 2025 Tax Lien Sale to Protect Homeowners

Brooklyn Borough President candidate Khari Edwards calls on Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams to cancel New York City’s 2025 tax lien sale, warning that it puts thousands of homeowners at risk of foreclosure. At a rally in front of his late mother’s home, Edwards urged city and state officials to reform the lien sale process before allowing any future sales to proceed.

Edwards emphasized the often-overlooked impact of the lien sale, which allows the city to sell outstanding property tax and sewer debt to private collectors. “For most New Yorkers, the tax lien sale is a little-known process. But for far too many homeowners, many of whom should never have been on the list in the first place, it carries devastating consequences,” he explained. “The tax lien sale needs to be completely overhauled to protect New Yorkers who may be on the financial brink, and until it is, the city and state must put a moratorium on any future sales.”

The New York City Department of Finance recently released the 90-day lien sale list, which includes over 3,400 one- and two-family Brooklyn homes with outstanding debt. Once sold, the debt is transferred to private firms that often employ aggressive collection tactics, which can ultimately lead to foreclosure. This would be the first lien sale since 2021. The program was previously suspended in 2020 by former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Afia Sengupta, Esq., a legal advocate, warned of the sale’s impact. “One-in-eight homeowners is at risk of foreclosure. The tax lien sale is exacerbating this issue and threatening generational equity for thousands of Brooklyn families,” she explained.

Edwards’ campaign is reaching out to homeowners on the lien sale list to inform them of their rights and provide guidance on protecting their properties. He criticized the lack of public awareness about available resources and called on Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to assist at-risk residents.

By law, seniors, veterans, and disabled homeowners who qualify for tax exemptions should not be included in the lien sale. However, these exemptions are not automatic, requiring homeowners to apply in advance. Many eligible homeowners are unaware of the process and are on the lien sale list.

Edwards advocates for automatic enrollment in tax exemptions and expanded protections for vulnerable homeowners. He warns that many affected homeowners are unaware of their status until it is too late and emphasizes the need for better government communication—his call for action pressures city and state officials to address issues within the tax lien sale process.