I'm really glad to see you are working on this. What kind of input are you getting from the title companies? If you take the steps for proper notification will they write title insurance? What happens if the owner has passed on or moved away?

Local representatives from title companies have been a part of our inter-governmental vacant/blight committee. That has carried over to state leaders with title insurance companies being personally present in state meetings. I am a member of both the local and state committees.

Working with those committees is the Tenn. Assoc. of Property Tax Professionals (TAPTP) which I organized over the past year. That statewide organization brings together delinquent tax attorneys, trustees and court clerks, all of whom play an important role in tax collections and sales.

The consensus has been that better, insurable titles is a key to solving many vacant and blight issues. Notice of tax sales to owners (who as you note may be deceased, which creates questions about heirs, or moved away) is often the problem. Not only the form of notice (personal service, mail, etc.), but also giving title attorneys/underwriters access to that information in property records.

I worked out an agreement with the State Comptroller's attorney to have the TAPTP Legislative Committee be the working group for a bill on tax sale reform. Those are the 'experts' I refer to in Joe Sullivan's story. One of those is Doug Gordon with the City. Doug is a member of the vacant/blight committees and Legislative Committee.

All of this means better communities and real money in tax collections for Knoxville and Knox County. Mayor Rogero has been a leader on these issues. But, I also appreciate John Duncan's support in allowing me to do this work.

Is there a proposed time frame for clear title on properties where the owner is missing. As it stands right now, if an investor/builder can locate the owner they can try to negotiate a deal outside the tax sale. So its the MIAs that are the problem. Or, you often find the current owner only has a quit claim deed and thet raises a big red flag.

The answer is a more complicated than I can provide in a comment here. Feel free to call my office or call to schedule an appointment. I would be glad to talk with you further about the changes being discussed.