City to Host Commercial & Residential Forums Regarding Revaluation Process

Commercial property owner forum on November 1 at 11:30 AM
Residential property owner forum on November 25 at 5:00 PM

PORTLAND, Maine -- As part of the City’s revaluation process, the Assessor’s Office will be hosting two upcoming forums to further detail the process and lets owners know what to expect. Commercial property owners are invited to a lunch and learn session on Friday, November 1, 2019 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the Portland Public Library’s Rines Auditorium. The session will focus on the ins and outs of the commercial appraisal process in municipal revaluations, and allow for owners to hear directly from the experts conducting the current revaluation project.

Residential property owners are invited to a forum on Monday, November 25, 2019 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Portland Public Library’s Rines Auditorium. City and project staff will discuss the ins and outs of the residential appraisal process in municipal revaluations. 
 
The project includes each property receiving a property data mailer, building sketch and property data verification, market sales, cost and income & expense data analysis, field checks and final reviews before assessment notices are sent to taxpayers. 
 
More than 3,500 commercial income and expense statement mailers were sent out in August. More than 18,000 residential data mailers were mailed out on October 10. These mailers include a postage paid reply envelope to help facilitate their return. 
 
“Property owners and taxpayers of the City deserve fairness and uniformity in the reassessment process and our number one goal is to bring that to them. We have to make it fair for everybody,” said Chris Huff, the City’s Assessor. “In addition to these two scheduled forums, we will be visiting neighborhood association meetings and other community events in which we can engage further with residents.” 
 
About the Revaluation Project
The City retained Tyler Technologies CLT Appraisal Services™ to conduct the multi-year reassessment project on over 24,000 City parcels. The project started in February 2019 and will continue through mid-2020, culminating in updated values being used for the Fiscal Year 2021 tax billing cycle. 
 
Tyler conducted the City’s previous revaluation in 2006. Given the changes in Portland property values over the last 13 years, a revaluation is needed to keep the City compliant with State mandated assessment laws and guidelines.
 
Tyler captured updated street-level images in April 2019 and is performing data reviews of each property. Tyler will also conduct the appeals process at the conclusion of the project. Finally, Tyler will assist the Portland Assessor’s Office in community outreach throughout the duration of the project. 

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