Board approves 30-day exposure on changes to Mass Appraisal Standard
   An update to the Standard on Mass Appraisal of Real Property has been approved by the Board of Directors for exposure to members for 30 days.

   This standard replaces the 2018 rewrite of the standard, which replaced the 2013 Standard on Mass Appraisal of Real Property. The Research & Standards Committee updated the section on “Alternative to Periodic Site Inspections” with a section on “Considerations for Establishing a Property Inspection Plan.”
   The update also included changing references to CAMAs to mass appraisal systems. A clean version and a copy with markups are available for review.

   Comments on the standard should be sent to Assessment Advisor Shannon Hiss, RES, RMA, at hiss@iaao.org. The comment period will run from Nov. 14 to Dec. 13, 2023.

 

IAAO accepting applications for executive director
   IAAO has begun accepting applications as part of its search for a new executive director. The job description is posted online, and the selected individual will be responsible for ensuring the successful execution of the organization’s overall strategic plan while overseeing and managing all facets of the association.
   The executive director will work closely and transparently with the Board of Directors to formulate strategies and translate them into actionable strategies aimed at fostering growth. The position closes on Dec. 14, 2023, and candidates will be notified shortly thereafter regarding the status of their application.

 

Planning for 2024? Conference fees released
   IAAO has released 2024 Annual Conference registration fee information to assist jurisdictions and firms planning for 2024. The information is on the 2024 Annual Conference page with additional information on Denver and the conference, scheduled for Aug. 25-28 at the Colorado Convention Center. Full registration and hotel room reservations will begin in the spring.

 

Recognize IAAO on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28
   Will you consider donating to an IAAO charitable fund on Giving Tuesday?
   IAAO is a 501(c)(3) organization, and donations to IAAO are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the Internal Revenue Code. “Giving Tuesday” is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States, and you can show your passion for the organization and commitment to the future of the profession by donating to one of these funds.
• IAAO Education Fund
• Building Donation Campaign
• Trust Funds (Jeff Hunt Memorial Trust, Paul V. Coursy Library Trust, and Timothy Hageman Trust)
   As we close out the year with the holidays ahead of us, this is the perfect time of the year to give, and you can go online and donate to IAAO at www.iaao.org/GivingTuesday. For donations of investments and hard-to-value assets, contact IAAO at weber@iaao.org.

 

Registration closes soon for Legal Seminar in Louisville
   Registration closes Monday, Nov. 20, for the 2023 IAAO Legal Seminar, set for Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.  Attendees will hear from industry experts on legal topics of interest to members of the assessment and property tax industry. You can register online or submit a paper form with payment. Read more

 

Membership renewals underway; pay online or return invoice
   IAAO membership dues for 2024 are now available to pay online on the IAAO website, and members who are not on an agency bill may pay on the website or return the invoice emailed or mailed to them. To pay online, log in to the IAAO website, click on “My Account,” and then select “Renew My IAAO Membership.”
   To pay by mail, return the invoice with payment in U.S. funds to the IAAO Lockbox address on the invoice. The deadline for renewal is Dec. 31, and non-renewed memberships will expire on Feb. 29, 2024.

 

 

Florida county officials call state’s PACE program ‘predatory’
   According to Florida PACE’s website, homeowners are told they don’t have to have to put any money down, the program is 100% financed and there is no minimum credit score required. They can get pre-qualified in minutes and hundreds of projects are eligible. In addition, their construction bill can be placed on their tax bill and paid once a year. Approved PACE contractors go door to door, looking for customers.
   But it’s not a loan — it’s a lien, and customers could actually lose their homes if they can’t pay what some say are exorbitant costs and interest rates. Read more
 

Michigan Legislature breaks for year without passing Detroit mayor’s tax plan
   The Michigan Legislature broke last week for the rest of the calendar year without passing Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s Land Value Tax plan (LVT).

   The LVT is “a way for Detroit voters to decide whether to cut homeowners’ taxes by an average of 17% and pay for it by increasing taxes on abandoned buildings, parking lots, scrap yards, and other similar properties,” according to the city of Detroit website. Read more

 

   A bill draft that proposed an acquisition value-based property tax system narrowly failed to advance in the Legislature’s Joint Revenue Committee earlier this week.
   The proposed legislation divided Wyoming lawmakers and residents over its passage — one side argued the bill draft was a necessary step in providing much-needed property tax relief for homeowners, while others said the unintended consequences of the property tax system did more harm than good. Read more
 

Lake County implementing new law targeting tax sale ‘churner’ properties
   Lake County, Indiana, is taking the next step needed to remove thousands of "churner" parcels from its regular sales of homes and land with unpaid property taxes.
   On Tuesday, the county's legislative body voted 6-0 to implement the process outlined in a new state law, Senate Enrolled Act 157, that allows the county, or a local municipality, to obtain clear title to properties that fail to sell at two or more county tax sales. Read more