Phone bank with Pappas and Chatman of ABC 7 Chicago returns $12.5 million to property owners

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said today that her office is sending checks totaling $12.5 million to homeowners who called the “Black and Latino Houses Matter” phone bank she hosted with ABC 7 Chicago on March 11-17, 2021.

Staff from the Treasurer’s Office, fluent in Spanish, Polish, Chinese and English helped homeowners find refunds, apply for property tax exemptions and avoid the Tax Sale of delinquent taxes.

“All houses matter, but I launched the ‘Black and Latino Houses Matter’ initiative because the Tax Sale disproportionately impacts certain areas,” Pappas said.

John Idler, President and General Manager of ABC 7 Chicago, said: “When Treasurer Pappas reached out we realized immediately that this was an extraordinary opportunity to educate homeowners and help them take full advantage of tax refunds and exemptions. We are thrilled to be part of the effort that put millions of dollars back into the pockets of Cook County residents.”

Samantha Chatman, a consumer investigative reporter with ABC 7’s I-Team, reported on the 20-hour phone bank during the station’s afternoon and evening newscasts.

Property owners who did not call the phone bank, may visit cookcountytreasurer.com to:

• Search $76 million in available property tax refunds
• Check if they are eligible for $46 million in missing tax exemptions
• Verify if their property is on the Tax Sale list of delinquent taxes