May 18, 2010 – Hour 2

Continuing a practice that has existed for years, yesterday Baltimore officials auctioned liens on 12,689 homes and properties whose owners had outstanding local taxes and municipal bills, according to a report by the Huffington Post Investigative Fund.

Is this a viable way for a cash-strapped city to recover unpaid bills, or a scam that allows investors to profit from people in need?

We’re joined by reporter Fred Schulte, Maryland Senator Jim Brochin, and Debra Gardner, Legal Director of the Public Justice Center.