“I applaud the mayor for hitting the pause button on placing people’s homes in tax sale for unpaid water bills,” he said. “It’s an extremely important first step. I have for years likened the city’s approach as penny wise, pound foolish. Sending someone to tax sale for what often amounts to minor back charges often has a disastrous impact, as homeowners scramble to pay inflated fees in order to reclaim their property or risk homelessness.”