[Original article & photo from Houston * Banner, Near Northwest/Montrose-Westheimer/
Midtown/Downtown Edition, August 2009 edition]
Richard Ford pickets Appraisal District Office
Richard Ford never expected to be walking a picket line at the Harris County Appraisal District office. The retired Houston firefighter owns a number of properties’, and like many property owners he protested his property tax appraisal.
One of his properties, he says, was appraised nearly $60,000.00 more in value so he felt it necessary to protest the increases. He had done the research on his properties and was anxious to talk to the review board about them. He expected to be able to have a hearing for each one of his properties.
As most taxpayers know, the protest is a two step process consisting of an informal meeting with a hearing officer and a formal hearing before the Appraisal Review Board. Generally, the Board restricts the hearing to 15 minutes. In his formal hearing, Mr. Ford says he was presented with files of four of his properties. He discussed one of the properties with the board members but refused to discuss the other three in the same hearing.
He claims the time was too limited and separate hearings were needed for each property. He refused to sign the forms for the other properties until he could have separate hearings.
According to Ford, he was told by Appraisal District personnel that he was told he would have to leave the hearing if he refused to sign the forms. When he still refused, he was told to leave the room immediately or security would escort him out. He says he was told if he remained inside he would be arrested for trespassing.
Ford says he did not continue to argue and left the premises as requested. But he finds the episode very disturbing. “I could not even sleep that night I was so upset,” he says. “I did not know what they had decided on the other property, and I was angry I had been treated that way. That’s why I decided to picket and made these signs. I am just one person and was totally alone when I went to the hearing. Everyone is alone when they go into those hearings, and the Board has the balance of power. I watch all these taxpayers walking into the building to face the Appraisal District alone. We need to unite to reform the way this whole process is done. They need to justify how they can raise these values so high every year.”
The Appraisal District website explains that the review board does not have the power to appraise property or make policy. “A board of six directors governs the appraisal district. Board members select the chief appraiser, adopt the annual district budget, appoint the appraisal review board, and ensure that the district follows policies and procedures required by law. The board does not appraise property or make decisions affecting appraisal records.”
Mr. Ford says he would like to get other taxpayers in Harris County to join him in efforts to reform the way property tax appraisals are done. “It is one thing for me to stand here with signs and have people give me thumbs up while they drive by. But they need to do more than that if we are to bring about changes.”
September 6th, 2009 at 11:19 am
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September 6th, 2009 at 11:38 am
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September 10th, 2009 at 12:11 am
I just walked out of doing this process today with minimal success. I agree there needs to be reform. When the three Board members sit there and totally ignore pictures that show my property is subject to having bayou flood waters at the doorstep and NONE of the HCAD comparibles are any where near flooding…. then something is WRONG!
When an HCAD record shows a building permit was pulled for remodeling but none actually was, and a call to the city verifies this… then something is WRONG.
When it is documented that supposedly an appraiser looked through my window and concluded the home was both remodeled and unoccupied (all the while I keep my blinds closed during the day for security reasons)…then something is WRONG.
Be prepared for this kind of crap if you ever buy a property below what HCAD would expect to be "reasonable" value. Either that is what happened in my case or else somebody got the address wrong on the permit and they meant to put down my neighbor's address who has done $30,000 worth of remodeling!!!!! on the same square footage. This is the property that HCAD has appraised for $20,000 LESS than mine !!!!!
March 20th, 2012 at 10:46 am
Just left appraisal hearing. Appraisal representative tried to get thrown out by saying the burden of proof was on me to prove he received the letter I sen to request reset due to out of state. Fortunate for me they disagreed and I was allowed to proceed.
The problem is my house suffered extreme damage from Ike and due to insurance lawsuit, no repairs have been made. I had to dispute this last year and the value was adjusted, but not to as low as it should be because they said I did not have an estimate for repairs, though I had pictures that very well documented the destruction. I was told a representative went to my house and looked in and saw it was repaired. A total lie. I sent written protest this year stating no repairs had been made and condition unchanged. They denied my claim and the increase in value was over 70,000k. Over 300,000k for a house that is without walls,floors,utilities,etc! I had to take off 2 days of work to get all documents and attend. I had to get a hotel room to make it at 7.30.
In the end they lowered back to previous year but it should still be lower. Why are they able to have so much control and to be dishonest in order to torture people to charge unfair taxes? I had extensive proof to show my home was appraised far more than any house in perfect condition. Someone needs to govern this process and allow complaints to be voiced! If I was ip to the administrator I would be paying taxes on property valued higher than when in full repair despite lower house values overall, and especially in my NASA neighborhood!! I offered to sell my home for 70,000 but no one took my offer!