Mailing of Reassessment Notices Opens Appeal Period

Oak Park, Illinois – On April 13, 2023, the Cook County Assessor’s office mailed reassessment notices to all Oak Park property owners.  The notices proposed new assessed values that, unless reduced on appeal, will help determine the tax bills of property owners between calendar years 2024 and 2027.  

According to Oak Park Township Assessor Ali ElSaffar, “with the mailing of the reassessment notices comes the opening of a thirty-day appeal period during which taxpayers can contest their new assessed valuations.  One of my office’s primary responsibilities is to assist homeowners who wish to file appeals, and we have hired additional staff to help with the high volume of inquiries and appeals that we expect.”  

ElSaffar has compiled a list of common questions and answers to help taxpayers better understand the reassessment process: 

How is my property’s assessed valuation determined? 

The Cook County Assessor’s office first determines the market value of all properties.  The market value is the price a buyer would pay a seller for a property placed on the open market.  For residential properties, the assessed valuation is 10% of the market value.   

What is an assessment appeal?  

An assessment appeal is an attempt to reduce a property’s assessed valuation by claiming that the assessment is unfair or inaccurate.  A successful appeal will reduce an individual property owner’s share of the local tax burden, resulting in a lower tax bill.   

What is the procedure for filing an appeal? 

The appeal period began on April 13, 2023, when the Cook County Assessor mailed the reassessment notices.  Appeals will be accepted until May 15, 2023.   

The Township Assessor’s office will be available to help owners of residential properties prepare and file appeals during the appeal period.  Taxpayers should call the Township at (708) 383-8005 to schedule an appeal appointment.  Appointments can always be made between 9 A.M. and 5 P.M. Monday through Friday, but appointments are also available after hours and on Saturdays.  Most appointments will be conducted over the phone. 

What are the grounds for an assessment appeal? 

There are three primary circumstances when assessment appeals are appropriate:  

1. Lack of uniformity. The basic rule of property assessment is that similar properties should be assessed similarly.  If there is a lack of uniformity, an appeal is appropriate.  To substantiate such an appeal, it is necessary to find properties comparable to yours that have lower assessed valuations.  With the help of a new computer program, the Township Assessor can help you quickly and easily find comparable properties. 

2. Errors in property characteristics. Every residential property has a set of characteristics which determine the property’s assessed value. Errors in characteristics can be appealed.  The type of error most likely to result in an assessment reduction is one that overstates the interior square footage of your property. 

3. Recent purchase or appraisal. If the property value set by the Cook County Assessor is higher than a recent purchase price of recent appraisal for your property, an appeal may be successful.

Release date:   April 16, 2023