The clock is ticking in Lansing, and Dan Gilbert's philanthropic arm is not sitting it out. The Detroit Tax Relief Fund, backed by Gilbert's network, is leaning on state lawmakers to keep a crucial law alive that it relies on to wipe away back property taxes for low-income homeowners. The group says the effort has already erased more than $52 million in tax debt and helped roughly 13,000 Detroit families since 2021, and warns that letting the Pay As You Stay program lapse in June would undercut that progress.
At the halfway point of a $500 million, 10-year pledge, the Gilbert Family Foundation and Rocket Community Fund are using the moment to lobby for an extension. According to Axios Detroit, the two organizations are urging lawmakers to renew Pay As You Stay. Laura Grannemann, executive director of both groups, told Axios they want to shine a spotlight on the fact that that is important legislation that should continue.
What Pay As You Stay Does
Pay As You Stay was signed into law in March 2020 and is tailored to qualifying low-income homeowners who are behind on property taxes. The program lets them eliminate penalties, interest and fees, then repay a reduced tax balance over time at no interest. The original bill and program details are laid out on Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Office, which explains how PAYS works alongside the city's Homeowners Property Exemption to reduce foreclosures.
How Gilbert Money Has Been Used
In a March progress report, the Rocket Community Fund outlined how far the broader pledge has gone so far. The two Gilbert organizations have deployed nearly $300 million through the first five years of the commitment, with about $110 million directed to housing stability and $103 million to employment and mobility programs. Rocket Community Fund also reports that the Detroit Tax Relief Fund has helped nearly 13,000 homeowners erase more than $52 million in delinquent taxes. The fund is administered by Wayne Metro and accepts applications through the agency's portal.
What's At Stake In Lansing
All of that hinges on what happens next at the Capitol. Pay As You Stay is set to expire in June, and a legislative extension has stalled. Axios Detroit reports that a bill to extend PAYS passed the state Senate last October but was last heard by a House committee in December. If lawmakers fail to act before the program sunsets, the Gilbert groups warn that the Detroit Tax Relief Fund's ability to clear remaining debts for HOPE-eligible homeowners will be limited.
Next Steps For Residents
For Detroiters worried about back taxes, the message is to get in the pipeline now. Homeowners unsure whether they qualify are advised to start by applying for the city's Homeowners Property Exemption and enrolling in PAYS. The city details eligibility and how the program works on its Pay As You Stay page.
