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Q&A
Discussion on public disclosure of tax lien sale information and its impact on homeowners
0:26:11
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121 sec
Alec Schierenbeck and Jeanne Schoenfelder discuss the balance between public transparency and the risk of targeting vulnerable homeowners when posting tax lien sale information. Jeanne explains how publicly available lists can lead to scams and deed theft issues.
- Jeanne mentions that her organization opposes publicly available lists that can be used by scammers
- The discussion touches on similar issues with foreclosure case information
- Alec expresses interest in suggestions for addressing these concerns while maintaining public transparency
Alec Schierenbeck
0:26:11
You.
0:26:12
Can I ask you about the posting of public information and how that leads to you know, targeting?
0:26:22
Can I ask you how you would think about balancing the interest in public disclosure and transparency in administration of the program with that that real risk?
0:26:34
And then also how in your observations you have determined that the posting of these this information related to the tax lien sale is the reason for the targeting rather than one might ask like whether other indicia or circumstances of the same people who are in that situation makes them the subject of targeting.
0:27:00
It'd just be very interesting to to hear.
0:27:57
That that's very helpful and I totally understand the nature of the recommendation.
0:28:01
If if, you know, on further digging you have suggestions of what consistent with law and interests of public transparency could be done to address that particular concern, I'd be very interested to hear.
Jeanne Schoenfelder
0:27:02
Sure.
0:27:03
So I can also address this further in written testimony so I can consult with colleagues and get a more considered answer for you.
0:27:10
I I would say we we deal with a lot of deed theft issues and sort of the results of scams and a lot of those folks have been on lean lists and and certainly other sort of publicly available lists and we tend to oppose any publicly available list that that's that is just sort of a road map for for scammers.
0:27:36
And so, you know, we see the same thing with foreclosure cases.
0:27:39
You know, when foreclosure cases are filed, that's publicly available and people immediately become the target of predatory schemes.
0:27:48
And, you know, from our perspective, you know, all of these things are not good and to the greatest degree possible, we'd like to prevent these lists from being published.
0:28:11
Okay.
0:28:12
Thank you so much.