Minutes 06-03-2021 Virtual Business meeting

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13 the way properties are classified going forward, so this does not happen again. She said this is to help get through this year, and the County will look at continuous gentrification. She said the Board was looking at certain neighborhoods, but the issue may be countywide, where people may be tax burdened even though they are not senior citizens. Bonnie Hammersley added the County Attorney said the program must be countywide, and not targeted to a specific neighborhood. Commissioner Greene said she spoke with the County Attorney and he said the parameters could be defined as narrowly as Commissioners wanted, so the requirements may end up satisfying needs of those who need it most, without specifying a neighborhood or area directly. John Roberts said this could be set up in a way that there would be a narrow pool of people who qualified, and could help the people the Commissioners want to help, in addition to others in similar situations. Commissioner Dorosin asked John Roberts if the narrow qualifications could not be geographical, but other things like income. John Roberts said yes. Commissioner Greene said how long people have lived there could also be considered. Chair Price said younger families also need to be able to move into these neighborhoods and help sustain them. She said if the County only helps senior citizens, when they go, the property could potentially be given to a developer, so a way to help these neighborhoods is allow families of modest means to be able to live there as well. Commissioner Greene said to that point, if one can afford to pay for the house at the bigger price, one can probably afford the taxes. Chair Price said she would not make that assumption, and the property could be inherited, or one may just able to buy the property at the time, but possibly be unable to afford it year after year, depending on the situation. Commissioner McKee asked when the appeal process opens and closes. Bonnie Hammersley said on June 15, the BOCC will be presented with an abstract to consider extending the appeals process until the end of September. Commissioner McKee asked if there is any aid in place for people who do not know how to navigate the appeals process for the revaluation. Bonnie Hammersley said the tax office staff is available, by all means necessary, to residents. Commissioner McKee approved of the support for residents and said if there are successful appeals, it may alleviate some of the assistance needed. Chair Price said the appeals go to the Board of Equalization and Review now. Commissioner McKee said he understands that, but successful appeals would alleviate the problems of some of the folks impacted by the revaluation. Commissioner Dorosin asked if Chair Price's suggestion of 30% AMI was based specifically on community need, or was just a placeholder. Chair Price said that number was actually suggested by staff. Gary Donaldson said 30% AMI is the percentage used by other jurisdictions as a benchmark for severely cost-burdened. Commissioner Dorosin said it would be good to reach out to the neighborhoods most impacted to see if any would qualify for this benchmark so the program is not too restrictive and therefore does not achieve its goal. Gary Donaldson said after looking at some of the information provided to him by the Tax Administrator, it seems like 30% would address the issue, at least for the Northside community. Chair Price said some of her amendment is a result of meeting with EmPOWERment and the Tax Office, and this is an attempt to alleviate what is happening in the County.