Ravenstahl Helping With Assessment Appeal Process

February 27, 2012 4:34 PM

(Credit: KDKA)

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Many of Allegheny County’s residents have received their property reassessments and many are unhappy with the results.

The City of Pittsburgh is trying to help those who have questions as they work through the appeal process.

In addition to a facility downtown, the Mayor’s Office is providing help in the neighborhoods.

“I’m here for my parents. Their property doubled. They are in a fixed income. They are both in their late 70s, so a raise in their assessment is really going to hurt their way of life,” Kevin Gasiorowski said.

“They say I have a full basement, which I don’t. I have a furnace and a hot water tank down there. They say I have a fire burning log place which would be really nice, but I don’t have a fire burning log place and like I said, the value has more than doubled,” Kathleen Kucerovy said.

Those are just some of the stories the city hears at a help center on the South Side. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl listened to one gentleman explain how his assessment more than tripled for a home that he admits is in poor condition.

“Cases like this are what we are out there trying to help people do. The low-cost appraisals will be helpful in helping homeowners and we want to make sure that this reassessment has as minimal an impact on as many homeowners,” Ravenstahl said.

To the homeowners on the South Side who haven’t done anything to their houses, they can’t understand why their assessments are going up.

Which is why the mayor is urging anyone with concerns to speak up and speak out.

“As frustrated as you are with the process, as unsure as you are about that that means, file an appeal. April 2, is the deadline. Protect yourself and protect your home,” Ravenstahl said.