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Attorney: Values on low-income housing too high
Saturday, March 15, 2008
SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield attorney filed 55 property value complaints this week with the county auditor's office.
James Caplinger alleges that the 2007 mass reappraisal values are too high on low to moderate income homes in the city.
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Caplinger's filings are the most complaints submitted at one time to date, bringing the total number of appeals to 171 as of Wednesday, March 12, County Director of Appraisal Nikki Crawford said.
Caplinger represents North Hill Apartments Inc., a nonprofit organization that operates several housing projects throughout Clark County under four subsidiaries.
The property value for the North Hill Apartments complex in the 300 block of Mount Vernon increased 92 percent since 2006, Caplinger said.
"Under no stretch of the imagination, can we find basis that would occasion a revaluation to that extent," he said.
The 40-unit property went from $210,410 in 2006 to $438,770, according to the county auditor's web site.
"In my mind, we are dealing with a housing project that is seeing its taxes and its valuation increase dramatically, yet it is absolutely forbidden to increase its rents because of the median income established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development," Caplinger said.
Most of Caplinger's property appeals were filed on houses that are built and sold under value for low-income occupants, the attorney explained.
The appeals were filed on two bases — the economic property valuation based on income and discriminatory valuation, Caplinger said.
"What we are saying is if you look at the value that the auditor has assigned to our property and then you look at property exactly next door, there's discrimination," he said.
For example, one of North Hill's four-bedroom homes in the 500 block West Mulberry is valued at $100,200, while the four-bedroom home next door is $61,330, Caplinger pointed out.
"I would suggest there is a very large problem," he said.
County and city officials had been exploring the possibility of blanket appeals since Clark County Auditor George Sodders admitted there were inconsistencies in the 2007 revaluation by Appraisal Research Corp.
State department of taxation spokesman John Kohlstrand said in addition to property owners, the county commission, prosecutor, treasurer, board of township trustees, school district or city commission can file property appeals.
"But the burden of the demonstrating if the value is incorrect is on the person making the complaint," Kohlstrand said.
Complainants must still list each individual parcel number, address, mailing address of the property owner, old value and the new value being sought, Kohlstrand said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or boutten@coxohio.com.
SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield attorney filed 55 property value complaints this week with the county auditor's office, alleging that the 2007 mass reappraisal values are too high on low to moderate income homes in the city.Caplinger's filings are the most complaints submitted at one time to date, bringing the total number of appeals to 171 as of Wednesday, county director of appraisal Nikki Crawford said.
Attorney James Caplinger represents North Hill, Apartments Inc., a nonprofit organization that operates several housing projects throughout Clark County under four subsidiaries.
The North Hill Apartments complex in the 300 block of Mount Vernon increased 92 percent since 2006, Caplinger said.
"Under no stretch of the imagination, can we find basis that would occasion a revaluation to that extent," he said.
The 40-unit property went from $210,410 in 2006 to $438,770, according to the county auditor's GIS web site.
"In my mind, we are dealing with a housing project that is seeing its taxes and its valuation increase dramatically, yet it is absolutely forbidden to increase its rents because of the median income established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development," Caplinger said.
Most of Caplinger's property appeals were filed on houses that are built and sold under value for low-income occupants, the attorney explained.
The appeals were filed on two bases — the economic property valuation based on income and discriminatory valuation, Caplinger said.
"What we are saying is if you look at the value that the auditor has assigned to our property and then you look at property exactly next door, there's discrimination," he said.
For example, one of North Hill's four-bedroom homes in the 500 block West Mulberry is valued at $100,200, while the four-bedroom home next door is $61,330, Caplinger pointed out.
"I would suggest there is a very large problem," he said.
County and city officials had been exploring the possibility of blanket appeals since Clark County Auditor George Sodders admitted there were inconsistencies in the 2007 revaluation by Appraisal Research Corp.
State department of taxation spokesman John Kohlstrand said in addition to property owners, the county commission, prosecutor, treasurer, board of township trustees, school district or city commission can file property appeals.
"But the burden of the demonstrating if the value is incorrect is on the person making the complaint," Kohlstrand said.
Complainants must still list each individual parcel number, address, mailing address of the property owner, old value and the new value being sought, Kohlstrand said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or boutten@coxohio.com.
