Coronavirus: Montgomery County property value dispute deadline extended

Many houses along Rolfe Avenue in Harrison Twp. continued to bear the scars of an EF4 tornado months after the Memorial Day storm. CHRIS STEWART / STAFF

Many houses along Rolfe Avenue in Harrison Twp. continued to bear the scars of an EF4 tornado months after the Memorial Day storm. CHRIS STEWART / STAFF

The deadline for Montgomery County property owners to dispute the taxable values of their properties has been extended due to the coronavirus pandemic, the county auditor announced Wednesday.

The new deadline will be 23 days after the governor’s state of emergency declaration expires or August 23, whichever is sooner, according to Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith.

“Since this emergency began last month, Ohioans have rightfully made their safety and the safety of their families their top priority,” Keith said. “This extension will provide property owners time to take care of other matters, such as filing a property value appeal, after this crisis has passed.”

The normal statutory deadline for filing Board of Revision appeals is March 31. The county had received approximately 700 appeals by that date, according to Keith.

The Auditor’s Office has cancelled hearings originally scheduled in April due to the pandemic and those hearings will be rescheduled. Board of Revision staff will notify property owners of any future cancellations.

Property owners who choose to file an appeal are contesting the value of their property as it existed on Jan. 1 this year. The board does not have the authority to consider property values based on the current condition of the real estate market, according to the Auditor’s Office.

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The appeal form and additional information about the Board of Revision is available by visiting www.mc-bor.org. Property owners with questions about the Montgomery County Board of Revision can email the Auditor's Office at BOR@mcohio.org, or call 937-496-6856.

Last year, the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office reviewed thousands of tornado-damaged properties and already reduced the values on 1,200. The $46.3 million loss to homes and businesses wiped away $1.7 million in anticipated 2020 tax revenues.

The Board of Revision can revisit those decisions or look at instances where property owners believe they were missed in the post-tornado process, according to the Auditor’s Office.

The Board of Revision is a quasi-judicial body that is responsible for determining the fair market value of property for taxing purposes. The board is comprised of the president of the Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners, the county treasurer, and the county auditor or their designated representatives. The board conducts hearings to allow property owners the opportunity to challenge their taxable property value by sharing property information directly with the county.

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