FILE PHOTO - The B.C. Ombudsperson is slamming the City of Penticton after it forced a vulnerable woman's out of her home and then sold it for half the market value due to a $10,000 unpaid tax bill.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

The B.C. Ombudsperson is slamming the City of Penticton after it forced a vulnerable woman's out of her home and then sold it for half the market value due to a $10,000 unpaid tax bill.

A media release from the B.C. Ombudsperson says the 60-year-old had "personal challenges" that made it difficult to pay the bill, even though she had the funds.

However, the City of Penticton still went ahead and sold her home in a tax sale auction.

The house was sold by the City for $150,000, although the fair market value of the house was assessed at $420,000. Once the sale was completed the Ms. Wilson, 60, was evicted and lost approximately $270,000 of equity in her home.

The findings are being made public following an investigation from the B.C. Ombudsperson.

"The results of this investigation are disturbing," B.C. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke said in the media release. "Ms. Wilson was a vulnerable member of the Penticton community and just needed some extra assistance to pay her taxes. The City of Penticton called Ms. Wilson once but did not contact the Public Guardian and Trustee or Interior Health who have the legal mandate to make inquiries as to whether an adult is vulnerable and needs support or assistance.

"The City’s failure to reach out to one of these helping organizations contributed to a devastating and preventable loss."

The B.C. Ombudsperson found that written communication from the City contained numerous errors including incorrect deadlines and inaccurate references to parts of the Local Government Act.

The Ombudsperson says the City failed to include key information that would have informed Ms. Wilson about the consequences of the tax sale process.

"Selling someone’s home to pay a relatively small tax debt is an extraordinary power and I expect when a municipality takes such action it is scrupulously accurate," Chalke said. "While the City of Penticton may view its own errors as immaterial, I do not agree. The cumulative effect of the city’s multiple mistakes was to make the process unfair for Ms. Wilson."

The Ombudsperson's report makes recommendations to the province regarding the laws surrounding unpaid property taxes.

The Ombudsperson has also asked the City of Penticton to refund half of the equity Ms. Wilson lost in the sale of her house to the tune of $140,922.

However, the City has refused.

"I am disappointed that the City of Penticton is not taking responsibility for both the multiple errors and omissions it made in its communication with Ms. Wilson and the insufficient action it took to help her get the assistance she needed," Chalke said.

"I am calling on the City to realize the gravity of this situation for this vulnerable member of its community and compensate Ms. Wilson as I have recommended. It’s never too late to do the right thing."

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