UPPER DARBY, Pa. — A 91-year-old woman in Pennsylvania is on the brink of eviction due to an unpaid tax bill that her family claims was an oversight.

Consequently, her house has been sold at a tax lien sale, and she faces the looming threat of being forced out, despite being confined to bed.

Last week, the family of Gloria Gaynor was informed that the new property owners intend to evict her with assistance from the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.

With time running out, Gaynor’s daughter is uncertain about their next steps.

“She’s bedridden. Are they really going to move her while she’s in the bed and leave her on the steps?” asked her daughter, Jackie Davis.

Davis said her mother is running out of time in her Upper Darby home.

“I don’t have a proper place for her as yet; so, I’m asking for time,” said Davis, who lives in Florida.

Our sister station in Philadelphia detailed the family’s plight in an Action News Investigation into the system of tax lien sales this summer.

Gaynor’s story began in 2020 during COVID-19. Afraid to leave her home, she didn’t pay her property taxes. Her attorneys told the Investigative Team she had the means to do so and made the payment in 2021 when things began to return to normal. But that payment wasn’t applied to the taxes in arrears.

Gaynor’s daughter said she was allegedly unaware, and her tax lien went to auction.

“I would say, the exception, not the rule, in most cases, tax sales are taking place because people are either unable to or unwilling to pay taxes, and the county and the school districts need to recover those funds,” said Alexander Barth, who represents the family.

“This is a diamond in a rough case, I would say. This is not every tax sale situation. Most tax sale situations are houses that are damaged or underwater. This is the exception again, but this is stripping generational wealth from a family. This is a sole asset that the mother had to pass on to her children, and now it’s — and it had very little debt on it, and there was mostly equity in this home. And now they’ve lost that,” he added.

CJD Group legally bought the lien for $3,500 plus fees. Attorneys for Gaynor fought the sale, calling it a truly rare circumstance given her age and slight dementia. But the courts repeatedly ruled in the buyer’s favor. Now, CJD is coming to get its property.

“This is essentially kind of the end game of the situation, unfortunately,” Barth added.

“I just need to come up with a plan to be able to take her to a home with me. That is my solution,” said Davis.

Gaynor’s situation is clearly unfortunate, but critics would argue that her daughter, who lives in Florida, has had months to prepare for this dire situation, either by securing assisted living arrangements locally or accommodations with her in Florida.

Davis said her mother won’t survive in such a facility, and she needs more time and money to find a home big enough to house her family and her disabled mother.

“I’m praying. I am praying and hope to luck it doesn’t happen, and I can find a place for her,” said Davis.

CJD Group and its attorney have not returned repeated requests for comment from our sister station in Philadelphia.

Gaynor’s attorneys say how long Gaynor has depends on the sheriff’s office.

Mike Connolly, the communications director for the Delaware County Communications and Public Affairs, released the following statement:

“Once a property is sold at tax sale and the deed is transferred, the new owner is the party who determines whether to pursue a change in occupancy. If they choose to move forward, the process begins with filings in the Court of Common Pleas, and those filings appear in the public docket.

Individuals can review the status of any Complaint in Ejectment or related filings through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System’s online ‘Public Access’ portal. The Sheriff’s Office becomes involved only if the court issues a Writ of Possession, and there is no such action on file for this address at this time.

We understand that this is a very difficult situation for the family, and we recognize the stress that uncertainty around housing can create. While the County is required to follow the procedures set by state law in tax sale matters, we remain mindful of the emotional toll that these circumstances can have on residents.”