Philly’s online sheriff sale contract violated city charter

The move to virtual sales raised fears from housing advocates about speculation and questions about the cost of moving to a private online platform.

Under pressure, officials admitted that the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office had entered into a six-year contract with Bid4Assets without issuing a public request for proposals.

Philadelphia’s Sheriff’s Office sold nearly $3 million in property in its first online sale. City Council is pleading to halt future auctions in April and May.