Assessor and Budget Office propose short‑term surge to clear 8,000+ assessment appeals

The committee heard from the Assessor‑Recorder about a lingering backlog of assessment appeals and a plan to accelerate hearings. The office reported roughly 8,343 open appeals as of April 30 and said it expects to reduce that number toward about 7,400 by year‑end if the temporary appeal‑reduction team and extra AAB hearing sessions continue.

Assessor‑Recorder Carmen Chu said the department established a temporary AAB project team in 2011‑12 to address a surge in appeals that began after the 2008 downturn. She asked the committee to continue funding the project team and to allow more evening sessions for residential appeals so taxpayers who work can participate. “We hope by the end of the year that we'll get to somewhere around the range of 7,400 open appeals cases,” she said, noting the statutory windows (two years for some appeals, up to four years for others) that limit the office’s runway.

The budget analyst recommended reductions to the Assessor’s proposed budget but said staff would work with the Assessor to finalize agreed numbers and to return next week with a reconciled recommendation. Committee members pressed for continued investment in case processing because unresolved appeals delay refunds and can accrue interest costs for the city.

Next steps: the budget analyst and the Assessor will reconcile differences and return to the committee; the AAB scheduling initiative will continue and the Clerk’s office is preparing evening sessions to accelerate residential appeal hearings.