2022 Assessment Appeal Period Opens for Oak Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Ali ElSaffar
Assessor
708-383-8005
aelsaffar@oakparktownship.org

2022 Assessment Appeal Period Opens for Oak Park

Oak Park, Illinois –The Cook County Assessor’s office has announced that it will be accepting
appeals of the assessed valuations of Oak Park properties between June 22 and July 25, 2022.
According to Oak Park Township Assessor Ali ElSaffar, this appeal period is the first of two
opportunities Oak Park residents will have to appeal their assessments in 2022.

“All Oak Park properties were reassessed in 2020, and most of the values set in 2020 will remain
unchanged until Oak Park’s next reassessment in 2023,” ElSaffar said. “Because the 2020
reassessment was such an important part of the tax process, many people believe that assessed
values can only be appealed during a reassessment year. But since property values can change
from year to year, assessed values can be appealed in any year, including 2022.”

Although ElSaffar expects to see fewer appeals in 2022 compared to 2020, there are some
circumstances where taxpayers may want to appeal this year. One such situation arises when the
county assessor sends notices of reassessment for properties that have had significant changes in
the last year, such as the construction of a new building or an addition to an existing building.
The 2022 appeal period also allows taxpayers to bring attention to changes in the value of their
properties over the last year. Finally, taxpayers who missed the deadline for appealing their
2021 assessed values can contest their values for the 2022 tax year.

In most cases, those who are filing 2022 appeals because they missed the deadlines from prior
years will not be able to do anything about their assessments from prior years. Indeed, since
Cook County tax bills always arrive one year late, property owners should be aware that the
money-saving effects of successful 2022 appeals will not appear on tax bills until the second half
of calendar year 2023.

Individuals with concerns about their property taxes should contact the Township Assessor’s
office at (708) 383-8005 to set up appointments during the appeal period. “The biggest point of
contact between most citizens and their government arises through the payment of taxes,”
ElSaffar said. “Oak Park residents with concerns about the fairness of this important point of
contact should know that the Township is available to help residents redress tax inequities.”

About Oak Park Township

Oak Park Township provides government assistance through social services that help improve
the well-being of residents at all ages and stages of life. We offer supportive services for seniors,
youth, and people with disabilities, along with programs that address the unique challenges of
mental health, substance abuse, unemployment and more. In addition, we serve as the
community property tax advocate in helping residents understand their property assessments and
how they may realize tax savings through appeals or exemptions.

Release date: June 23, 2022