Possible Foreclosures in the City of Toledo and Lucas County Due to Unpaid Property Taxes

Lately, a lot of frustration has been building up in the city of Toledo, Ohio, and in Lucas County in general, as many property owners are worried about rising home assessments and the increasing amounts they are expected to pay in property taxes.

While a good number of residents are paying their bills, others have not, and the total amount owed is truly alarming, reaching approximately $152 million.

One particular case of this issue is an old site on the east side of Toledo, which once housed a church and a school, and that has been vacant for some time and is now visibly deteriorated. Regardless of whether the owners have renovation plans or not, one of the main concerns is the back taxes they owe, an amount now close to $342,000, one of the highest debts in the county.

Other examples of large property tax debts include: a property in the 3700 block of Terrace Drive in Toledo with an outstanding balance of $609,000. And another on North Detroit Avenue, near Nebraska, which has a delinquency of $375,000.

Lindsay Webb, Lucas County Treasurer, has been addressing the enormous amount owed. However, part of the total is misleading, as some accounts date back to the 1950s and are unlikely to be paid now. She also stated that it is not possible to forgive any tax debt, not even those from 70 years ago.

These unpaid taxes cover all types of properties, from family homes to large commercial sites and vacant lots.

Her office collects around $40 million in delinquent payments each year, but due to interest, the total amount continues to rise, even as the number of properties with delinquent taxes—about 19,000 properties—slightly decreases.

Foreclosure is an option being considered to address this problem. Around 500 properties face foreclosure each year, but the county seeks to be strategic in selecting which ones, as they are well aware that seizing 19,000 properties currently in arrears would cause huge harm.

That’s why the treasurer’s office focuses on identifying owners who appear to be engaged but may simply be behind. For them, payment plans and tailored agreements are offered.

Foreclosure generally only occurs if the home’s value exceeds the tax debt. Otherwise, no one would buy it at a sheriff’s sale.

Another option being considered is selling the unpaid tax debt to private companies, so that if the debt is not paid, the company can foreclose. This method was used during the 2008–2010 period in Lucas County.

With payment plans and well-studied foreclosures, Lucas County is working to ensure that everyone contributes what they owe.

Available foreclosures:

Toledo: 312 homes available

East Toledo: 58 homes available

North Detroit Avenue area: homes available

Terrace Drive area: 15 homes available

By Elías DaSilva | 27 de Mayo de 2025