The Problem...
When a county government takes someone's house for back taxes, they sell it. If there is money left over from the sale, usually it's supposed to go back to the owner. But many counties do a terrible job of informing owners of the surplus, so owners never claim their money, even after suffering such a loss.
Does it matter? It could be a thousands of dollars going to someone who just lost their home! That could mean moving into an apartment instead of their car.
Across the country, there are millions of dollars sitting in government accounts. The proof? Counties that have lists of dozens - sometimes hundreds - of people they owe money to, and no effective plan to reach them.
The Solution!
First? Call ’em up!
Our volunteers use information act requests to obtain lists of people owed money - it's public information, thankfully. Then we call them to let them know. One county after the next: a simple phone call that can make a world of difference.
Next? Reform!
We're committed to working with civic groups, counties, and states to raise public awareness and demand reform - to end this problem for good.
The Henry Project - a nonprofit charity.
The Henry Project is a registered nonprofit 501 C3 charitable organization.
Please reach out to us with any questions you have!