Mold moves to property tax rolls

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Mold moves to property tax rolls

Homeowners seek new appraisals that could influence tax revenue

By Guy H. Lawrence Caller-Times

June 15, 2002

The financial hit homeowners have felt for mold-damaged houses is trickling

down to governments, which expect to lose some tax revenue.

But it's too soon to say how much lower those revenues will be, an appraisal

official said.

Overall, the county is showing a 2.8 percent property value increase due to

higher commercial, industrial and residential property values.

The preliminary overall county taxable values are estimated at $11.4

billion, Mantz said. That estimate would only be slightly higher without the

mold damage reductions, he said.

But some homes' values, not including land values, have been reduced by 30

percent to 50 percent, said Mantz, assistant chief appraiser for the

Nueces County Appraisal District.

But Mantz couldn't detail the total amount of reductions, because the

district's Appraisal Review Board, which hears homeowner protests and

decides values, still is meeting. The board has about a month of review

hearings remaining, Mantz said.

The appraisal district usually receives about 4,000 requests from property

owners and representatives to dispute property values, Mantz said. Of those,

about 375 to 425 people actually attend a protest hearing before the review

board. The board listens to district appraisers and to the homeowners and

then determines a fair value.

The numerous mold claims that have been filed with the appraisal district

and the appraisal review board will have an impact on overall value in the

county and city, Mantz said.

The value of the lot, or the land, is not affected by mold damage, he said.

For example, the value of a house on Ocean Drive was reduced from $330,521

to $198,312 because of mold damage, Mantz said. The land value for the

property remained the same at $315,900.

The value of another home, on Mediterranean Drive, fell from $59,508 to

$35,706 because of mold damage.

The land value remained unchanged at $10,275.

The district, and the review board, hears the problems of the homeowner. The

district will consider repair estimates, fee appraisals and engineering

reports on any damage to their homes, Mantz said.

" We want to be fair to the taxpayer, " Mantz said.

" They are not just a numbers we're crunching. They are real people out there

with problems and we want to be fair. "

County Tax Assessor-Collector Ronnie Canales, who is also an appraisal

district board member, said the county should continue to see these kinds of

mold-related decreases next year while claims still are being filed. But, he

said the property values should increase once the homeowner repairs the

damage.

" The mold issue is something that is hitting the whole state of Texas in the

last two or three years, " Canales said.

" I am not going to say that mold is not a problem. "

Officials from the large taxing districts within Nueces County said it was

too soon to be alarmed by the decrease that mold damage has brought to

property values.

County Judge Borchard, said he heard the appraisal district was

dealing with mold damage claims, but didn't know what kind influence it

would have on the county's property tax revenues.

" I don't feel that is going to have an impact on the total value of the

county, " Borchard said. " As far as the fiscal impact, I wouldn't know until

I get some numbers from the appraisal district. "

The city of Corpus Christi is not looking at a tax increase to compensate

for property tax revenues lost to mold damage, said O'Brien, assistant

director of management and budget.

" There have been a lot of mold cases, but I don't think it will exceed the

increase in value that has been going on throughout the city, " O'Brien said.

" The city is looking at a 4.5 percent increase that is taking into account

some of those reductions that may occur. "

Corpus Christi Independent School District offices were closed Friday and

Superintendent Jesus Chavez and Zuniga, assistant superintendent for

budget and support, could not be reached for comment.

Mantz said the district will certify final values for the taxing entities on

July 19.

Contact Guy H. Lawrence at 886-3792 or at lawrenceg@...