A Chicago woman is fighting to reclaim her home after a mix-up over property tax payments led to its sale.
Robin McElroy, who lives in the Morgan Park neighborhood, was shocked when she was handed a notice that stated her family home had been sold for unpaid property taxes.
“I just started receiving letters from different tax buyers,” McElroy told CBS News Chicago.
McElroy had owned her home since 2012 and revealed that she consistently paid her property taxes and kept receipts to prove it. “I do not like wasting money. I do not pay that ‘stupid tax.’ I pay my bills,” she said.
The confusion dates back to April 2019, when the Cook County Treasurer’s Office informed McElroy that her property’s identification number (PIN) had been incorrectly swapped with that of her neighbor’s on the Assessor’s website.
At the time, officials assured her the error would not affect her ownership. “They actually told me, ‘Don’t worry about it,’” McElroy said, as she believed at the time that the matter was resolved and moved on.
However, five years on, McElroy received another letter, this time from Cook County Circuit Court which informed her that her home had been sold for delinquent taxes.
The details of the letter indicate that she now owes three years of rent to the new owner.
“I’m about to cry now,” she told CBS.
McElroy has expressed frustration over the situation, stating: “This lady should not have to be put in this position to go through all of this headache and heartache. This is stressful.”
Reports indicate that the PIN issue had never been resolved, leading to the current dispute. The Cook County Assessor’s Office acknowledged the error and said it has since corrected the PIN swap.
A spokesperson for the office confirmed McElroy’s taxes were paid and said the agency is working with its legal team to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
Despite these assurances, McElroy has candidly stated that she will believe nothing unless it is all placed into writing.
“I want everything in writing before I believe anything,” she said. “You guys can point fingers all day long. I don’t care. I want what’s rightfully mine.”
In the meantime, the Chicago woman has hired a lawyer to fight for her home. Court records show she has until next week to file a response, and she will be hoping that the issue soon gets resolved.
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“Keep in mind, this is somebody’s property that they paid for; that they’re living in,” McElroy added.
