Philadelphia courts have ordered a moratorium on Sheriff Sales until September, following weeks of outcry over a sudden switch to online sales and subsequent critique from City Council.
The office resumed sales after a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic and when it restarted sales, it followed the lead of a number of counties that had outsourced sheriff sales to an online auction company known as Bid4Assets.
The move to virtual sales raised fears from housing advocates and vulnerable homeowners over a rise in out-of-state speculators, and questions about how the out-of-state company had quickly landed a lucrative contract to manage sales without a standard request for proposals.
On Thursday, a week after a City Council hearing on the issue, a flurry of activity ensued. As City Council member Cherelle Parker prepared to introduce a resolution calling for the suspension of sales at a Thursday council session, she revealed that Sheriff Rochelle Bilal had issued a letter stating that her office would voluntarily halt the auctions for two months.
“A communication was sent from the Sheriff’s Office at about 9:30 today,” Parker said. “Sixty days of relief have been provided.”
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