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South Cook News

Thursday, March 28, 2024

With nothing left to lose, Ford Heights property taxpayers revolt

Atlantis

The highest-paying property taxpayer in Ford Heights is Atlantis Strip Club. | Youtube

The highest-paying property taxpayer in Ford Heights is Atlantis Strip Club. | Youtube

In Chicagoland's poorest suburb, just three miles from the Indiana border, property owners have discovered the most effective strategy yet for avoiding Illinois' highest-in-the-nation property taxes.

Stop paying.

Facing astronomical bills on real estate that's now worthless at best, Ford Heights home and business owners have literally nothing to lose by ignoring them.


This vacant Ford Heights service station has a $106,000 tax bill | Cook County Assessor

Nearly 1,000 Ford Heights property tax bills totaling $2.3 million weren't paid last year, according to an analysis of Cook County Treasurer records by South Cook News. That's in a village of just 2,763 people, 987 households and 729 residential properties.

More perspective: the village's total 2017 budget was $1.8 million.

The 996 Ford Heights properties with delinquent taxes will be up for public auction in May; willing buyers can take them off the owners' hands by making good with Cook County on what's in arrears. That none will both explains the strategy's genius, and the tragedy it reveals.

In Ford Heights, real estate equity has ceased to exist. The concept of "homeownership" has been explicitly, violently eviscerated in this community. And it's hardly the only one.

Effective Tax Rate: 48%

The 20 most expensive properties in Ford Heights in 2017 amounted to $6.6 million in alleged, collective property value and $1.07 million in property taxes due, according to Cook County.

An analysis by South Cook News found that 13 of those 20 bills have not been paid, totaling $737,630 of the $1.07 million.

The non-payers have their reasons.

They include Ford Heights' top billed property, GMI Recycling Services at 1703 Cottage Grove Ave. The county values the property at $403,356; its tax bill last year was $192,271, or 48 percent of its alleged market value.

The McCullough Funeral Home at 1619 E. Lincoln Highway, next to Illinois Route 394, is delinquent on its $72,489 bill. Its effective rate is 28.5 percent on the property, valued at $253,932.

Two of Ford Heights three liquor stores are delinquent on their property taxes, including Food & Liquor on Lincoln (bill: $54,658) and BJ Foods & Liquor ($25,378). A New Way Food & Liquor ($30,632) is current; it was the scene of a 2009 fight between a village trustee, the liquor store's clerk and Ford Heights police in 2009. The clerk had refused to sell the trustee more alcohol.

The former Ford Heights tire incinerator property ($28,899), owned by New York-based Geneva Energy, is delinquent. Environmental activists finally shut down the plant in 2011, claiming the electricity it generated burning tires wasn't "clean" enough.

Other non-payers include an empty lot with a vacant garage surrounded by rusted-out cars at 1317 E. Lincoln Highway. The county claims it is worth $418,208 and billed its owner, 93 year-old Ford Heights deacon Andrew Nelson, $106,475 in property taxes last year.

Another empty lot four blocks west at 920 E. Lincoln Highway, this one owned by the Village of Ford Heights, isn't zoned as vacant but, rather, as having a two to six unit apartment building, according to the county assessor. Maybe that's why it is valued at $459,660 and has a property tax bill of $46,812, also unpaid. 

The same goes for a dilapidated walk-up apartment unit at 1116 E. Lincoln Highway. It looks vacant, but is valued at $345,530 with a tax bill of $35,189 for its owner, 78 year-old Patricia Roberts of Ford Heights. She isn't paying, either.

So who is?

Family Dollar ($25,169) is current on its taxes, according to Cook County. Its Ford Heights store is the only retailer in town that doesn't sell liquor.

And the Atlantis Gentleman's Club ($99,062) is also paying on time. Billed as the Chicago area's top strip club, it has the fourth-highest tax bill in town-- after the garbage dump, empty lot, and a Citgo gas station.

--

Ford Heights' Top 20 Property Taxpayers. Or Avoiders.

Only seven of Ford Heights highest-taxed properties paid their bills last year.

Property NameAnnual BillCounty Value ETRStatus

1GMI Recycling Services$192,271$403,35647.7%Delinquent

Address1703 Cottage Grove Ave.

Property OwnerGMI Recycling ServicesCrown Point, IN

Company provides garbage service to nearby communities, not Ford Heights.

21317 E. Lincoln Hwy Garage$106,475$418,20825.5%Delinquent

Address1317 E. Lincoln Hwy

Property OwnerAndrew NelsonFord Heights

2.4 empty acres with rusted cars and a building that used to be a service station, but is not operational. 

3Citgo Ford Heights$103,198$883,40011.7%Delinquent

Address2393 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerGurmeet Singh BholaLincolnwood

The only gas station in Ford Heights is in an industrial area away from its residential areas.

4Atlantis Strip Club$99,062$725,22813.7%Paid in full

Address1897 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerAtlantis Ford Heights

According to state filings, Atlantis' corporate officers are Ari Pomerantz & Dianna Dobrilla of Elmhurst.

5Baker Corp.$90,200$660,34413.7%Paid in Full

Address2205 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerTuffi Family FoundationTorrance, CA

Seal Beach, CA-based Baker Corp. is "a market leader in tank, pump, filtration and shoring equipment rentals." Ford Heights is one of its 46 U.S. locations and the only one in Chicagoland.

6McCullough Funeral Home$72,489$253,93228.5%Delinquent

Address1619 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerSir George D. WashingtonOlympia Fields

One of two locations owned by McCullough. Taxes have been delinquent since 2015.

7Food & Liquor on Lincoln$54,658$247,82622.1%Delinquent

Address926 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerMunther F. HaddadOrland Park

One of three liquor stores in Ford Heights.

8920 E. Lincoln Empty Lot$46,812$459,66010.2%Delinquent

Address920 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerVillage of Ford Heights

This half-acre empty lot hasn't had an actual owner since 2003, according the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. The Cook County Assessor describes the property as having a two to six unit apartment building-- it doesn't.

91116 E. Lincoln Highway Apts$35,189$345,53010.2%Delinquent

Address1116 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerPat RobertsFord Heights

Dilapidated walk up apartment building on Ford Heights' main drag looks vacant, but it's valued at $345K, still; owned by a Loop-based trust.

101400 E. Lincoln Highway Apts$34,802$341,73010.2%Paid in Full

Address1400 E. Lincoln Highway

Property OwnerCTLTC C 602421

Chicago

This apartment complex has 24 units and 22 adult residents, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

11A New Way Food & Liquor$30,632$177,19217.3%Paid in Full

Address1311 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerHusam DaklasOak Lawn

Liquor store was the scene of a fight in '09 between a village trustee, his sons and a police officer.

12Former Incinerator$28,899$484,7246.0%Delinquent

Address1705 Cottage Grove Ave.

Property OwnerGeneva Energy LLC

The Ford Heights Incinerator closed in 2011. Geneva Energy of New York bought the property.

13Clarke's Garden Center$26,606$243,24010.9%Paid in Full

Address2061 E. Lincoln Hwy

Property OwnerClarke's Garden Center

Nursery business on the far eastern outskirt of town; has been in business since the 1980's.

14BJ Foods & Liquor$25,378$149,52417.0%Delinquent

Address1311 E. Lincoln Hwy

Property OwnerYasmin SinghHawthorn Woods

This property saw its county's valuation rise 54 percent from 2017 to 2018, to $149,524 from $99,680

15Family Dollar$25,169$98,85625.5%Paid in Full

Address803 E. Lincoln Hwy

Property OwnerFamily Dollar

The only retail store in town that doesn't sell liquor.

161400 E. 13th Pl. Storefront$22,913$89,99625.5%Delinquent

Address1400 E. 13th Pl

Property OwnerJames WilliamsPark Forest

An empty storefront across the street from an elementary school.

17Lincoln Hwy Strip Mall$21,962$152,88814.4%Paid in Full

Address801 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerRichard A. BarrWinnetka

Includes a Shark's Fish, Currency Exchange and a beauty salon.

181450 Drexel$20,272$199,06010.2%Delinquent

Address1450 Drexel Ave.

Property OwnerDrone McGeeChicago Heights

Property across from school is zoned commercial, but has no evidence of ever having been used.

19Former Clark Gas Station$17,774$69,81225.5%Delinquent

Address1117 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerVillage of Ford Heights

Abed S. Nesheiwat of Schaumburg still receives the tax bills for this property. But according to the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, he hasn't owned it since 1985. Neshiewat died seven years ago. The village has owned it since 1993, taking it over from the Clark Gas Station here that closed.

20Ford Heights Hope Center$11,302$189,8406.0%Delinquent

Address1001 E. Lincoln Hwy.

Property OwnerFord Heights Hope Center

Taxes are delinquent for previous years too.

Sources: Cook County Assessor, Cook County Treasurer, Cook County Recorder of Deeds, Blockshopper.com

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