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Councilwoman Brown's tax delinquent rental property
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown's rental property is years behind on its taxes. She claims to have been unaware of the mounting debt.
Councilwoman Brown's tax delinquent rental property
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown has had a rough few years. In the midst of a divorce, she was fined by the Ethics Board and tied to a scandal that resulted in her former campaign manager pleading guilty to wire fraud. Reynolds Brown has also stated that she has had financial troubles. It would seem that those problems have spilled over to her former home at 601 N. 33rd St. It is now a rental property that she previously claimed as a source of income on financial-disclosure forms — and it is also tax delinquent.
Her husband, Howard Brown, technically owns the row house in the city’s Mantua section, but Reynolds Brown’s name appears on the current rental license. The property is in arrears to the tune of $4,223 and the city has placed two liens on the house for nonpayment. Reynolds Brown says she purchased that property “shortly after college” as part of a first-time-homebuyer program operated by the Philadelphia Housing Development Corp. in 1980. During her first campaign for an at-large City Council seat in 1999, she transferred the property to her husband’s name. Reynolds Brown declined to say why she transferred ownership during the heat of a political campaign, calling it “a private decision.”
She denied knowledge of the debt, saying she was first notified about the back taxes, which stretch back to 2011, when City Paper called for comment. Reynolds Brown claims she hasn’t received documents on the status of this property “because they don’t come to my marital residence, where I currently live.” However, the Office of Property Assessment’s listed mailing address for the owner of 601 N. 33rd St. is that “marital residence,” in Wynnefield.
Reynolds Brown could not say how she and her husband failed to notice liens being placed on the property. However, the councilwoman did say that she ultimately wanted the property back. “It’s no secret that I’m in the middle of a divorce, and at the end of that settlement it is my expectation that this property will return to my name,” said Reynolds Brown.
Howard Brown, an employee of the Redevelopment Authority, said he thought his taxes “were included in the mortgage” and expressed surprise about the liens. He could not say why payments had ceased in 2011, but vowed to set up a payment plan. He asserted neither his lender nor the city ever sent him any paperwork about his growing debt. “I don’t know where to place the blame. I don’t know if it was the mortgage company that should have said something or the Department of Revenue … but I’ve never known [Revenue] to be real quick about stuff like that.”
some years ago I was late in paying my R/E bill because I never received it in the mail. I asked if the late change and interest could be waived. After the laughter died down I was told that the City isn't required to send out a bill and only do so out of the kindness of their heart, so receiving or not receiving a bill has nothing to do with actually paying the bill. I hope you stay on this story, and isn't there a program that docks city employees if they are in arrears. But why am I not surprised if city council wrote themselves out of that law!— bigreddog
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