Winter ‘22: Real Estate Law
Seeking Equity in Mass
Appraisal BY MICHAEL STINZIANO
Progress and Goals in Franklin County The primary goal of all county auditors is to be fair and equitable in the assessment of real property values. When I took office in 2019, ensuring Franklin County property values met this standard was a key priority for my administration. The Franklin County Auditor’s office is committed to using an evidence-based process to evaluate past appraisals to plan for the next full reappraisal
of the county in 2023. Advocates, scholars and local jurisdictions around the country recognize the importance of this work, and Franklin County will take the lead in conducting fair and equitable appraisals. The first step in this process was conducting an independent audit of the 2017 countywide reappraisal (full appraisals are completed once every six years in Ohio, with an update three years later). This report determined the values met state standards but included “semi concerning” variation in some data, including some unexplained variations in neighborhoods that had been historically redlined.i
Out in the community, the office is increasing outreach to educate homeowners about filing appeals with the Board of Revision. The Auditor’s office has also created new initiatives to help homeowners throughout the filing season, such as informational sessions throughout the Board of Revision filing season and more in-person and live-streaming educational events. 3 8 | C o lu m b u s B a r L aw y e r s Q u a rt e r ly W i n t e r 2 0 2 2
