Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton The former Brick House — 219 Liberty St. in downtown Warren — is one of 36 properties currently set to go to judicial sale at the end of this month.

The stimulus payments most Americans have received over the last year were designed to lessen the burden brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But a significant number of people in Warren County — about 500 property owners — appear to have used at least a portion of those funds to cover their 2020 property taxes.

Data from the county Tax Claim office shows that 2,862 properties were returned from municipal tax collectors to the county for non-payment in 2019.

In 2020, it showed a decline of over 500 properties, which equated to over $600,000 in property tax bills paid on time.

A typical year sees over 10 percent of property tax bills turned into the county Tax Claim office for non-payment. The cash amount of those bills, since 2013, has varied between $3.2 million and $3.5 million annually.

Last year the percentage fell to about 8.5 percent and total tax bills of $2.849 millio; $831,000 of that total can be found in the City of Warren but that number fell from $927,000 last year, leaving the city with an extra $104,000 just from a decline in unpaid taxes.

Tax Claim Director Phil Gilbert indicated the stimulus as the likely driver in this area.

Could that also be the cause for a smaller than normal judicial sale list? Gilbert doesn’t think so.

A total of 36 properties are headed to the May 26 sale, which will be held at the Main Courtroom of the Warren County Courthouse at 1 p.m.

Gilbert highlighted enhanced communication with the assessment office as the reason for the smaller list, noting it’s possible the list will be even shorter by the 26th.

Two Liberty St. properties highlight the list — 219 which was the former Brick House and 217, the Watt Office Supply building.

The former gas station on the west slide at 1103 Pennsylvania Ave. W. is also on the list. That property and the Brick House are owned by Summer16, LLC.

The Brick House building is the subject of a blight grant filed by the City of Warren that seeks to rehabilitate the structure.