From the neatly manicured lawn to the fine white furniture to the majestic steeples, it looks like the perfect setting, but the Covenant at South Hills tops the list of commercial properties in Allegheny County that owe back real estate taxes. The home for senior citizens, which has filed bankrupcty, owes $560,000. The Covenant did not return a phone call to Target 11.

An apartment complex in Brentwood is second on the list. It owes $59,000. Tenants who pay rent every month told Target 11 they're not surprised. A message left with the apartment complex manager was not returned.

"I mean, this company, the way everything is like the maintenance even the laundry rooms are not that good," said one tenant.

List of top 10 delinquent commercial properties

Also on the top 10 list are two properties in Wexford owned by BL McCandless, an office building in the Crafton Industrial Park and Hawkins Precast concrete in Cheswick. Target 11 also contacted the owners of all three properties and a spokesman for the building at the Crafton Industrial Park was the only one who returned our call. The spokesman said that the building is in the process of being sold and the taxes will eventually be paid.

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Allegheny County Treasurer John Weinstein is in charge of collecting the taxes. " Sometimes it's very difficult, especially if they're in bankruptcy or they have extenuating financial circumstances, but we try to reach out to them and put them on a payment plan., and at least you have to ultimately pay your taxes," Weinstein said, adding that his office has a collection rate of 98 percent.

Another property on the top 10 list is owned by Wilmerding Renewed. The owners claim they are tax-exempt and they are now fighting the county.

"Well, until there's a determination made that it's not taxable, and right now it's taxable and there's a significant delinquency and we've not heard otherwise from the property owner," said Mike McCabe, an attorney who represents the Treasurer's office.

"Some people won't respond until the sheriff comes and puts the notices on the door and then they really take it seriously. They know the property could be up for sheriff's sale," Weinstein said.

In several cases, it wasn't a visit from the Sheriff, but just one call from Target 11 that sparked action.

After Target 11 Investigator Rick Earle contacted Abele Associations, the owner of a huge office complex in South Fayette Township, they settled two delinquent bills. A spokesperson told Earle that one was a clerical error and the other she didn't know about. She paid both of those bills.

Another company also paid up after Earle contacted them. Dicesare Investment Group paid an outstanding bill for an office building at Station Square.

"Obviously we are doing what we can to notice these delinquent taxpayers and sometimes they respond, but obviously your calls resulted in some payments for the county and you got a couple cleared up," said McCabe.