Taxing Matters
Self Help After Harvey
By: Cheryl E. Johnson, PCC Galveston Co.
Tax Assessor Collector cheryl. E. Johnson @ co. galveston. tx. us
When disaster reappraisal to reduce 2017 tax burdens failed to be requested by any government in Galveston County, help after Harvey became your burden. One of the most important things to be aware of this year is that there is a NEW deadline to set up an appointment with a CAD appraiser or to file a formal or online protest- May 15, 2018. Here are some quick tips to help you prepare: 1. Gather after storm information of your damage( likely same as provided to FEMA, insurance companies, SBA, etc.) along with any estimates or bids and photographs. This is a good starting point on which to build the remaining items.
2. Define the January 1 condition using any bids obtained or estimates; have contractors note the status of each repair as of January 1 – what was complete and what remained to be done. If you have photographs to support that status, keep them. Cell phone photos can be emailed to the CAD or provided to appraisers if you are unable to print them.
3. Be prepared to discuss the impact of Harvey on other properties on your street or in the neighborhood; what were water levels in various areas, etc. Remember that your value is based on the CAD defined“ neighborhood of properties” and that no one knows the impact of Harvey on the area better than you.
4. Your property is valued based on sales and some properties may have been sold since the storm to investors. What was their status during the period they were sold – did the owner walk away, perform any demolition, etc. Are they repaired now or still under construction?
Although I cannot predict what adjustments GCAD will make for flooded properties – I know what the law provides and that is for you to be taxed based on the January 1 value and condition. GCAD will likely start with the 2017 value and deduct the value of incomplete repairs but could be more( or less) generous than that.
One thing to keep in mind is that reductions will not be dollar for dollar. If the property was valued below market( perhaps due to its age and condition), reductions will be proportionate. For example, a family in Bay Ridge Subdivision with $ 200,000 in demolition and repair costs may have a large reduction in improvement value but, if the 2017 GCAD value( both land and improvements) was $ 170,000, only the improvement value will be reduced and any remaining structure will contribute some amount of value.
Email your photos and repair estimates to harveydamage @ galvestoncad. org. GCAD will send a confirmation email upon receipt and will consider the information when preparing the appraisal roll and notice. Call GCAD toll free at( 866) 277-4725 or( 409) 935-1980 with questions specific to your property.
The full impact on values as a result of Harvey will not be known for a couple of years when a sufficient number of properties are repaired and sold. Sellers of properties that flooded must disclose that to potential purchasers and that will have an effect on marketability – thus value. Properties that didn’ t flood may increase in value if the market supports that in the future( meaning a sufficient number of sales occur within the neighborhood of those properties within a specific time frame).
Final self-help tip – take a deep breath. Recovery is a marathon- not a sprint. The annual classes I teach on how to effectively protest your value will go more in depth and prepare you for the process but planning now and gathering the information listed will give you a good head start. See the class schedule below. Registration is not required. All classes start at 6pm
05 / 01 League City Council Chambers,
200 W. Walker, League City
05 / 04 Learning Resource Center, Room L-131,
College of the Mainland, 1200 Amburn Road,
Texas City
05 / 15 Commissioners Courtroom,
1st Floor, 722 Moody, Galveston
MOMENTUM / March 2018 14