Penticton council to discuss tax auction sale in closed door meeting

Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki has confirmed that city council will discuss the forced sale of a vulnerable woman's home at an in camera meeting today, Dec. 14.

The mayor wouldn't discuss the details of the closed-door meeting, but did say that council may decide to make the details of the meeting public at an open council meeting in the afternoon.

The special meeting is in response to a damning report by the B.C. Ombudsperson, which slammed the City over its actions in selling a vulnerable woman's home vastly below market price to settle a $10,000 outstanding tax debt.

The house was sold by the City in a tax auction for $150,000 when its assessed value was $420,000.

Jay Chalke, the B.C. Ombudsperson, described the forced sale as "disturbing" and deemed the entire process as "unfair."

The B.C. Ombudsperson made several recommendations to the province regarding the laws surrounding unpaid property taxes, as well as asking the City of Penticton to refund the woman $140,000 – which equated to half the amount of equity she lost in her home.

However, the City released a statement last week saying it would not be refunding any money.

READ MORE: City of Penticton won't compensate vulnerable woman over forced sale of house

"The City of Penticton fully recognizes the seriousness of the situation and the impact the loss of ‘Ms. Wilson’s’ home through the tax sale process had on her," City of Penticton chief administrative officer Donny van Dyk said in a media release at the time. "This is a most unfortunate situation but… City staff were unaware that Ms. Wilson was a vulnerable person in need of support or assistance until after the conclusion of the tax sale process."

However, the sister of the woman who house was sold at the tax auction told iNFOnews.ca the city's behaviour was "obscene" and said the City should have called Interior Health or her family.

READ MORE: 'Just one phone call:' Sister of woman who lost home in Penticton tax sale demands change

"The city council's job is to look after the citizens, and this went actually the opposite way, it cost a citizen her entire livelihood," the sister told iNFOnews.ca in an earlier interview.

Whether the City moves forward and follows the Ombudsperson's recommendation for a refund, remains to be seen, but Mayor Vassilaki said he would be open to talk about the file following the meeting, almost a week after the report was released.

READ MORE: City of Penticton sells vulnerable woman's home over $10K unpaid tax bill

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