San Francisco 2011-2012 Property Tax Bill Informal Review Process

Q1:  I BELIEVE THE MARKET VALUE OF MY PROPERTY IS LESS THAN MY CURRENT ASSESSED VALUE. HOW DO I PROTEST MY VALUE?
First, please check your current assessed value.  Second, if the assessed value is higher than the market value, you have the following options:

1.  REQUEST AN INFORMAL REVIEW (single family dwellings, residential condominiums, townhouses, live-work lofts and cooperative units only) — From January 3, 2011 to March 31, 2011, the Assessor will accept requests to review the market value of your property.  Your request must be in writing by completing an application with supporting evidence of your opinion of value.  If you were granted a reduction for the year 2010-2011, we will automatically review your assessment for the year 2011-2012 to determine whether a reduction is still warranted.  Send your request to: Assessor-Recorder, ATTN: Informal Review, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, City Hall – Room
190, San Francisco, CA 94102. Mail-in requests for an informal review must be U.S. postmarked by the March 31, 2011 deadline. By Fax: (415) 554-7915 or E-mail: InformalReviewRP@sfgov.org.  Be sure to keep a copy for your records.

2.  FILE AN ASSESSMENT APPEAL (All property types) — From July 5, 2011 to September 15, 2011 you may file an Application forChanged Assessment with the Assessment Appeals Board (AAB), an independent body established to hear and resolve valuation disputes between the Assessor and taxpayer.  A $60.00 filing fee due at the time of application and the AAB will schedule a hearing for you at a later date.  Applications may be obtained by contacting the Assessment Appeals Board — Clerk of the Board

Q2:  CAN I, AS THE OWNER OF A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, DO BOTH PROCEDURES?
Yes.  If upon the receipt of your annual Notice of Assessed Value, which will be mailed at the end of July 2011, you disagree with the assessed value, you can file an assessment appeal with the Assessment Appeals Board. Please see instructions above.

Q3:  WHAT DOES MARKET VALUE MEAN?
Market value is the price a property would sell for when the property is put up for sale in a competitive and open market.

Q4:  WHAT IF MY CURRENT ASSESSED VALUE IS BELOW MARKET VALUE?
The Assessor is required to enroll the lesser of your factored base year value (assessment) or the market value. For example, if the market value (what you could sell your house for) of your property as of January 1, 2011 is $500,000 and your assessed value is $200,000 the Assessor would enroll the $200,000 as your taxable value. You would not qualify for a lowered assessment.

Q5:  WHAT TAX YEAR AM I APPEALING?
The assessed value being appealed will cover the fiscal year from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012.

Q6:  WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION WILL I NEED TO PROVIDE TO SUPPORT MY CLAIM?
You will need to submit sales information and/or an appraisal performed by a licensed real estate appraiser to support your claim.  The sales information or appraisal’s date of valuation should be near the January 1, 2011 lien date but no later than March 31, 2011.

Q7:  IF THE ASSESSOR OR THE ASSESSMENT APPEALS BOARD AGREES TO REDUCE MY VALUE, WILL THE NEW ASSESSMENT BE PERMANENT?
No. The reduction is temporary and only applies to the tax year being appealed. Once a reduction is made, the assessor is required by law to annually reappraise the property until its fair market value exceeds the factored base year value.

Q8:  WHY ARE TENANCY-IN-COMMON (TICs) UNITS EXCLUDED?
Unlike residential condominiums and cooperative units, TICs do not have separate parcel numbers.  A review of a single TIC unit is more complex.  TIC owners can appeal their taxes by filing an Application for Changed Assessment with the Assessment Appeals Board beginning July 5, 2011 thru September 15, 2011.

Q9:  WHEN WILL I BE NOTIFIED OF THE RESULTS OF MY INFORMAL REVIEW REQUEST?
Homeowners will be notified of the results of their informal review in the annual Notice of Assessed Value which will be mailed at the end of July 2011.