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SECRETARY HOSEMANN PARTNERS WITH CITY OF JACKSON
TO SELL TAX-FORFEITED PROPERTIES
Jackson, MS – In an effort to reduce the number of tax forfeited properties in the State, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is auctioning 360 parcels located in the City of Jackson and surrounding Hinds County with an estimated value of $14.6 million.
The available properties will be advertised for public bidding beginning Thursday, August 27, 2015, on the Secretary of State’s website: http://www.sos.ms.gov/PublicLands/Jackson/
“Our goal is to place this property back on the tax rolls to benefit the Capital City and the State of Mississippi,” said Secretary Hosemann. “By partnering with the City of Jackson, we are taking an aggressive step to return these properties to productive use.”
The 360 parcels being offered at auction in Jackson/Hinds County are valued at more than $14.6 million.
Statewide, the Secretary of State’s Office currently holds more than $84 million of property (13,300 parcels) forfeited to the State of Mississippi for non-payment of ad valorem property taxes. Of these, almost 3,800 properties valued at $36.9 million are located in Hinds County, with most located inside the City of Jackson.
“Tax forfeited properties can be a blight on the community and are a drain on our tax rolls and our citizens. Returning these properties to private ownership cleans up our neighborhoods, reduces the opportunity for crime and provides dollars to the City, the County and the schools,” Secretary Hosemann said. “We have had success all over the State by partnering with cities and counties to reduce the number of tax forfeited properties in Mississippi. “
“This public auction will add momentum to the city’s efforts to strengthen our communities,” said Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber. “Our Community Improvement Division has made great strides over the past year ridding areas of dilapidated structures that mar our neighborhoods. Now, this auction will give citizens the opportunity to purchase property and play a vital role in Jackson’s revitalization.”
Hosemann says since 2012 the Secretary of State’s Office has “taken historic steps to partner with local governments, Realtors, and anyone who is willing to help our Agency cure this epidemic in our State. Our goal is to work with local governments to identify properties which may be marketed for private ownership and those which may be transferred to local governments for public use.”
Previously, the Secretary of State’s Office has held similar tax-forfeited sales in partnership with the cities of Hattiesburg, Greenwood, McComb/Pike County, Meridian/Lauderdale County and Greenville/Washington County.
For the Jackson/Hinds County properties, sealed bids must be received in the Office of the Secretary of State located at 125 South Congress Street in Jackson by 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on September 17, 2015. Sealed bids will be opened and announced publicly at 10:00 a.m. Central Standard Time on September 18, 2015, in the Public Lands Division located at 125 South Congress Street in Jackson. Successful bidders will be notified by the Secretary of State’s Office. Payment of the bid amount must be made within 15 days of notification. All sales are subject to the approval of the Governor. Parcels are sold on an “as is” basis. All sales are final, and no refunds will be made. No more than 160 acres may be purchased by one person within one year. The Secretary of State reserves the right to reject any and all bids.
To view available properties in the Jackson/Hinds County area, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at: http://www.sos.ms.gov/PublicLands/Jackson/
To learn more about obtaining tax forfeited properties, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at: http://www.sos.ms.gov/Applications/Pages/Tax-Forfeited-Lands.aspx and at http://www.sos.ms.gov/Public-Lands/Pages/Directions-First-Time-Buyers.aspx
