When Tawanda and Prentiss Hall fell behind on their property taxes, they did what many financially strapped homeowners do: set up a payment plan with the local government. They didn’t want to lose the Southfield, Michigan home where they lived with their children.

The Oakland County treasurer ended the plan, however, with the tax debt standing at $22,642, and foreclosed on their home. The Halls were shocked to learn that the foreclosure took from them not only the value of debt but every penny of equity they had built up in the house. Instead of selling the house at public auction, paying off the debt, and returning the surplus (minus interest and penalties) to the homeowners, the county used the Halls’ money to enrich a private company, Southfield Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, LLC, managed by City of Southfield officials.