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Residents urge help for seniors hit by mobile‑home reassessments; county staff outlines appeals process and software timeline
Summary
Public commenters told commissioners that mobile‑home reassessments are raising values and threatening fixed‑income seniors; county staff said new appeals software will arrive soon and that mobile‑home owners will have a 30‑day appeal window after receiving tax bills.
During the public‑comment period, March Morton, who manages the Fuquay‑Varina Growers Market, urged the Harnett County Board of Commissioners to take local action to help low‑income seniors and mobile‑home owners affected by recent reassessments. "Many live on fixed incomes ' they're not asking for a handout," Morton said, citing the senior market the Growers Market held last week where about 250 low‑income seniors attended and $2,425 in senior farmers market vouchers were redeemed; staff also distributed $5,295 in food assistance that day.
Morton told commissioners many mobile homes have seen assessed values triple under the reclassification of mobile homes as real property, and asked whether the county can expand local property tax relief, revisit income thresholds, or use tools such as impact fees to shift growth costs. "If we don't find solution, many seniors and working families won't lose their homes because they made poor financial decisions. They'll lose them because the system failed to protect them," Morton said.
Chair and other commissioners asked county staff about appeals. County staff member Christina said a vendor kickoff has occurred and the new appeals software is expected to be delivered soon; data exchanges between the county's assessment software and the new vendor have already started. "For mobile home appeals ... the appeal date ended May 22 for real and personal property," Christina said, adding that mobile‑home owners who missed the earlier window will have another 30‑day opportunity to appeal once they receive their tax bill and that appeal instructions will be printed on the back of the bill. Christina noted the county had extended mobile‑home appeals previously as a courtesy and that exact dates depend on completing the system rollout.
Morton asked whether the county can act while awaiting changes at the state level; the comment highlighted constituent concern and an interest among commissioners in exploring local relief options. Commissioners did not adopt a new local relief policy at the meeting; staff said they will continue outreach and will return with updates about the appeals process and the software rollout.
