IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION urging the County Executive to implement a temporary moratorium on foreclosure proceedings and tax lien sales against residential property owners affected by the 2019-2022 Jackson County property reassessment cycle.
Intro
RESOLUTION NO. 21964, July 7, 2025
INTRODUCED BY Manuel Abarca IV, County Legislator
Body
WHEREAS, Jackson County's 2019, 2021, and 2023 property reassessment cycles resulted in significant residential valuation increases, with more than 200,000 parcels experiencing increases of 15% or more; and,
WHEREAS, over 54,000 appeals were filed with the Jackson County Board of Equalization and additional appeals were filed with the Missouri State Tax Commission; and,
WHEREAS, the Missouri State Tax Commission has publicly stated that Jackson County failed to comply with statutory requirements for physical inspections and ordered reassessments of thousands of parcels; and,
WHEREAS, Missouri law (RSMo § 141.210 et seq. and§ 140.160) allows for foreclosure or tax lien sale after a three years of delinquent taxes on a property, but the enforcement of such proceedings may cause unjust displacement of homeowners; and,
WHEREAS, Jackson County has previously implemented temporary moratoriums on tax foreclosure proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020; and,
WHEREAS, thousands of Jackson County residents are still awaiting resolution of their 2023 appeals or assessment corrections and remain at risk of foreclosure or tax lien sale despite the contested status of their property valuations; and,
WHEREAS, such moratorium should remain in effect for at least 12 months or until the County Executive, in consultation with the Legislature and relevant departments, determines that sufficient assessment corrections and appeal resolutions have occurred to ensure fairness and due process; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, urges the County Executive to enact a temporary moratorium on foreclosure proceedings, tax lien sales, and other collection-related enforcement actions for residential properties within the 2019-2022 assessment cycles under formal appeal, pending reassessment, or affected by State Tax Commission orders; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature formally requests the County Executive to appear before the Legislature, or provide a written response, within fifteen (15) days of the adoption of this resolution to indicate his administration's position on the implementation of a foreclosure moratorium and outline any intended actions; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Legislature encourages the County Executive to designate appropriate staff to coordinate with members of the Legislature on the scope, timeline, and legal structure of such a moratorium, to ensure cooperative governance and responsive service to the residents of Jackson County; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature respectfully expresses its expectation that the County Administration will engage in timely and transparent communication on this matter of urgent public concern, recognizing that collaboration between branches of government is essential to ensuring equitable outcomes for the residents of Jackson County.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage by a majority of the Legislature.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
____________________________
County Counselor
Certificate of Passage
I hereby certify that the attached resolution, Resolution No. 21964 of July 7, 2025, duly passed on ____________________________, 2025 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas _________________ Nays _____________
Abstaining _____________ Absent ____________
______________________ _____________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature