This article was scraped from Rochester Subway. This is a blog about Rochester history and urbanism has not been published since 2017. The current owners are now publishing link spam which made me want to preserve this history.. The original article was published February 22, 2013 and can be found here.
![Mary Smith is fighting to keep her home of 30 years. [PHOTO: Julie Gelfand]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/mary-smith-take-back-the-land-rochester-01.jpg?ref=senseofplace.dev)
Mary Smith has lived at 53 Cutler Street
on the city's north side for 30 years. After her husband died, and some serious health problems (spinal surgeries and years of therapy) Mary says she fell behind on her taxes - by about $30,000. The City of Rochester and Monroe County then sold her tax debt to a Florida company called American Tax Funding
. Mary says she now has the ability to pay her debt, but American Tax Funding will not negotiate. On Tuesday, they may throw her out of her house and auction off the property. Volunteers with a group called Take Back the Land
is helping Mary with a petition
to ask CEO, Matthew A. Marini, to cancel the foreclosure auction and negotiate a settlement...
![On Saturday, February 6, the day after a snow storm, 16 canvassers joined Mary to visit her neighbors with her petition. [PHOTO: Julie Gelfand]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/mary-smith-take-back-the-land-rochester-02.jpg?ref=senseofplace.dev)
of Mary, her family and home, were taken by Julie Gelfand of Take Back the Land.
![Mary in her kitchen which is painted her favorite color blue. [PHOTO: Julie Gelfand]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/mary-smith-take-back-the-land-rochester-03.jpg?ref=senseofplace.dev)
Mary says her identity is closely tied with her home and community. "I want and need to get back ownership of the home that I love. My community is a major part of my life. I feel a deep commitment to my neighborhood and my neighbors."
![This poster in Mary's living room recognizes her community volunteer efforts. Next to Mary's poster is another in memory of her grandaughter Shawntayvia Williams. [PHOTO: Julie Gelfand]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/mary-smith-take-back-the-land-rochester-04.jpg?ref=senseofplace.dev)
Mary's been an active member of the Cutler PLUS Community Block Club since 1983, and is currently its vice president. "I want to continue to live in the community that I have nurtured and cared for... I deserve thanks, not foreclosure."
![Mary with one of her daughters, and a selection of grandchildren. [PHOTO: Julie Gelfand]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/mary-smith-take-back-the-land-rochester-05.jpg?ref=senseofplace.dev)
If American Tax Funding does not agree to work out a settlement, Take Back the Land members say there will be a protest at the Feb. 26 foreclosure auction and "community defense of a possible eviction." In the past, Take Back the Land has assisted other Rochester homeowners in negotiating with the City, rallying community support, and ultimately drawing attention to an imperfect and inhumane system.
UPDATE: 13 WHAM News said last night
that American Tax Funding is working with Smith's attorney on an arraignment that is expected to keep her home off the auction block. There may also be assistance from the City according to Councilwoman Carloee Conklin.
