Short version...
A poorly-written Michigan law allowed government entities to foreclose on homes for unpaid taxes, then keep the overage from sale even after the delinquent tax debt was satisfied. The case which ended up before the Michigan Supreme Court was for a delinquent tax debt of eight dollars. A guy lost his house because he underpaid his taxes by eight bucks.
Apparently the practice was rampant and many municipalities were realizing tens, if not hundreds, of millions from the scheme. Now that it's been struck down as unconstitutional and the stage set for those affected in the past to sue for remuneration, govt officials are losing their minds on how to make it happen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ9IorV-zgEShorter version... govts used a flimsy technicality of the law as an underhanded way to fund their coffers via the unethical retention of proceeds realized from the seizure and sale private property. They got their *expletive deleted*it pushed in by the Michigan Supreme Court and are now turning on each other figuring out how to dig out of the hole they intentionally created.
Brad