Social Justice
New York man losing $800K home over unpaid $5K water bill he never knew existed
Filmore Brown, 66, purchased his three-unit home in 1996 and paid off the mortgage by 2019.
A Brooklyn, New York homeowner is fighting to keep his fully paid-off house after a $5,000 water bill, unnoticed and unpaid, triggered foreclosure proceedings.
Details: Brooklyn homeowner Filmore Brown losing home over water bill
Filmore Brown, 66, purchased his three-unit home in 1996 and paid off the mortgage by 2019. But in 2020, the city sold his unpaid water bill to a private lien trust, a group of investors authorized to collect municipal debts with interest. When Brown failed to pay, the trust initiated foreclosure and sold the property at auction. Brown still lives in the home and is now working with attorneys to reverse the sale and reclaim ownership.
“I didn’t know and just would’ve paid it,” Brown told ABC7. “I cannot eat, I cannot drink, and I cannot sleep”.
A System That Left Him in the Dark
Brown paid thousands in current water bills and property taxes, not realizing the city had removed the original $5,000 debt from its billing system after transferring it to the trust.
Court documents show officials served foreclosure papers in November 2020, but Brown says he never saw them. He lives on the top floor and rents out the lower units, so he believes someone may have delivered the notices to the resident downstairs.
Filmore Brown’s Legal Battle over water bill and legislative Pressure
Brown’s legal team is now challenging the foreclosure and working to reclaim the property. “There needs to be some type of notification that there’s another bill out there that needs to be paid,” his attorney, Yolande Nicholson told ABC7.
“There needs to be more done to make sure that hardworking older people who paid off their mortgage and have fixed incomes don’t get into that kind of rut”
A Widespread Problem
Brown’s case is part of a larger crisis.
An ABC7 investigation found more than 6,800 properties have been placed into lien trusts over unpaid water bills. A disproportionate number are located in communities of color.
What’s Next?
Brown remains in his home as legal proceedings continue. The city has pledged to strengthen outreach efforts, extend timelines, and partner with nonprofits to prevent similar cases. For now, Brown holds onto hope—and the keys to the home he spent a lifetime building.