ST. JOSEPH — Berrien County Treasurer Shelly Weich is once again going out to local communities to meet with people needing help to stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure.

Weich, who just started her second term as county treasurer, is traveling to area communities around the county through March. Locations she’s visiting include Benton Township, Chikaming Township, Niles Township and Watervliet Township as well as Benton Harbor City, Buchanan City and Niles City.

Dates and places of her visits are on the county treasurer’s website, www.berriencounty.org/treasurer. People don’t have to make an appointment to meet with her at any of the offsite locations or at her office in the Berrien County Administration Center in St. Joseph. She is also available by phone at 269-7111 ext. 8569 to set up a payment plan.

In the south county, her remaining Niles Township visits are on Feb. 12 and March 5, both from 1-3 p.m. at 1835 S. 11th St., the former bank building where Niles Township temporarily has its offices. She will be at the Buchanan City Hall at 302 N. Red Bud Trail Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon and March 13 from 1-3 p.m. Her visits to the Niles City Hall at 333 N. Second St. are on Feb. 26 and March 19 from 1-3 p.m.

People stopping by her office hours around the county will find her prepared to help them set up a payment plan and accept money. She has a computer and printer to look up how much is owed, set up the payment plan, provide the paperwork and accept payments.

      Weich is carrying on the payment plan tradition set by her predecessor Bret Witkowski in helping property owners facing foreclosure. While all counties in Michigan now offer payment plans to people with delinquent taxes, Witkowski started the practice here in Berrien County before most if not all other counties.

      Weich chooses the first three months of the year as the time for her visits to outlying communities to keep as many properties off the foreclosure list prior to the annual March 31 deadline to redeem properties after three years of unpaid taxes.  This year, March 31 is the last day to pay 2022 and prior year taxes.

     “We don’t want to take properties to auction,” she said. “Fortunately the number of properties going to auction is going down due to the help we’re giving.”

“I am visiting various local municipalities in January, February, and March to help those having a financial hardship to pay their property taxes,” she said. “For those municipalities that I have visited so far, the turnout has been more than I have seen the past few years.”

“People are struggling, and if this provides an opportunity for them to stay in their home, I am willing to help,” she added. “Anyone is welcome to stop by to discuss delinquent taxes, make a payment, or ask any other questions.”

Weich noted that she and her staff work throughout the year to help homeowners stay in their homes. She said this year’s foreclosure numbers are similar to the past few years.

“When the Petition for Foreclosure was filed in June 2024, there were 1,676 potential foreclosures compared to 1,616 in 2023 and 1,686 in 2022,” she said. “At this point, there are approximately 800 properties that have been redeemed or have entered into a monthly payment plan.”

As has been the case in past years, the hardest hit areas for potential tax foreclosure are the City of Benton Harbor, Benton Charter Township, City of Niles, and Niles Charter Township.  “But there are also many other affected areas across the count,” she said.

In one difference from past years, Weich said she’s seeing a wider variety of people across different demographics seeking help. “I am seeing a range of people having difficulty paying their taxes,” she said.  “In the past, it was usually low income homeowners that were struggling.”

“Now, I see many on fixed incomes who may only be receiving social security as well as with personal and family related health issues,” she said. “The increase in grocery prices and utilities has homeowners strapped.  Many are trying to maintain their own home along with a loved one’s home as well. They may have lost a job, gotten sick or had a death in the family.”

Weich checks as well to make sure people are aware of other assistance that’s out there. For example, she will ask people about their income level to see if they are eligible for a poverty exemption. “Sometimes people don’t know about other programs,” she said. “We have them look at everything and help them the best we can.”

She said another tool that’s out there to help people having trouble paying property taxes is a property tax savings account offered by United Federal Credit Union. People can save throughout the year to make sure they have the money at the end of the year to pay their property taxes.

Payment plan agreements she reaches with taxpayers are usually for one year but can be revisited if it’s needed. “Payment plans are a yearly agreement that we revisit if there’s still a need so people will be able to stay in their properties,” she said.

“Our goal is for them to pay off at least some of what they owe in a year,” she added. “We also try to accommodate them, we don’t want to strap them too much.”

Foreclosure is a three year process. In the first year of delinquent taxes, unpaid taxes are turned over to the county treasurer for collection and interest and fees start to be added. Properties are forfeited to the county and a lien is recorded in the second year of unpaid taxes with more fees and interest added.

The second year also features notification of property owners, publication of the list of properties and personal visits to properties. Foreclosure comes in the third year when a judge signs the foreclosure order in February and the redemption period ends on March 31. Foreclosed properties are sold in an online auction in July of that year.

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