CHICAGO, June 4, 2025 — Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas intends to delay the Annual Tax Sale by seven months, hoping to collaborate with lawmakers on comprehensive property tax foreclosure reform during that period.

At Pappas’s request, the Illinois General Assembly recently approved legislation allowing her to postpone the Annual Tax Sale, which was originally scheduled for August. The legislation also stipulates that no additional interest will accrue on overdue bills during the postponement. Once the legislation is enacted, she will be authorized to postpone the sale until March 2026.

“I thank the members of the General Assembly for granting me the ability to postpone the tax sale and for reducing the interest burden on late-paying property owners after the postponement,” Pappas stated. “This delay provides me with time to work with housing advocates and other stakeholders on comprehensive property tax foreclosure reform legislation that benefits Cook County, the state of Illinois, and property owners. The era of temporary solutions is over. It’s time for meaningful and lasting reform.”

State law mandates Cook County’s Annual Tax Sale, typically held within 13 months of the second installment due date. During the sale, tax buyers settle delinquent property taxes in exchange for a lien on the property. If property owners fail to settle the lien with interest, the tax buyer can claim ownership of the property.

Pappas’s request for postponement followed a 2023 Supreme Court decision that challenged property tax collection enforcement practices in Illinois and other states.

“That decision gave my office a chance to advocate for changes I’ve long desired,” Pappas explained. “I anticipate collaborating with lawmakers in Springfield on reforms to make the system fairer for Cook County residents and all Illinoisans.”

SOURCE Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas