A number of homeowners in Youbou have decided to engage in a “holding appeal” against their property assessments this year, highlighting what they perceive as the excess amounts they are being charged over what should be their fair share of property taxes.
Youbou Realtor Jason Anson said the holding appeal initiated by 20 Youbou residents who appealed their property assessments with BC Assessment last year is a tactical measure aimed at ensuring their property taxes reflect a fair and accurate valuation of their properties.
He said the group of homeowners, who are still waiting for the Assessment Appeal Board’s decision from the appeal of their assessments in 2023, is again filing appeals for the current year.
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“Their hope is that by the time their cases are heard, the 2023 decisions will have been made, allowing them to use these valuations as a baseline rather than the new values set by BCA for 2024,” Anson said.
“In the event that the board has not yet ruled on the 2023 appeals, these homeowners plan to request that their 2024 appeals be put on hold until the previous year’s decisions are released. This approach is a conscientious effort to break the cycle of over assessment and achieve a fair taxation system based on accurate property assessments. This action is a continuation of their fight against the over assessments by BCA, following a successful mass appeal in 2023.”
Anson is a seasoned advocate who successfully guided 40 homeowners from the Youbou area through the appeals process last year.
He also led an initiative in partnership with a group from Paradise Valley, located near Squamish, that launched an online education platform and community support system, called “Community Connect: Safe Spaces for Empowering Homeowners” for homeowners looking to appeal their assessments for 2024.
The platform can be found at https://2024.bcassessmentappeals.com.
Anson said one of the homeowners involved in the holding appeal is 86-year-old Floyd Augustine whose property was over assessed by 40 per cent last year, leading to an unjust increase in his property taxes.
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“Augustine appealed and requested a 36 per cent reduction for a new assessed value of $1,364,000 in 2023, but the decision on this appeal has yet to be made,” Anson said.
“In 2024, despite a lower assessment of $1,803,000, Augustine and others in the group maintain that they are still being overcharged due to the carry-over effects of the previous year’s inflated assessment. In 2023, Augustine had to pay $4,000 more in property taxes than he would have if his home had been assessed fairly. Even if his appeal for 2023 is successful, he could still end up paying an extra $3,000 in property taxes in 2024. This shows the lasting effects of being charged too much in the first place based on a flawed assessment.”
Anson said the holding-appeal approach is a conscientious effort to break the cycle of over assessment and achieve a fair taxation system based on accurate property assessments.
“The community’s unified stance against these excess property assessment and tax burdens is a testament to their resolve to protect their financial stability and uphold fairness in the property assessment process,” he said.
“The situation in Youbou is a stark reminder of the broader implications of over assessment and the need for systemic changes to ensure accurate and equitable property valuations.”
BC Assessment said in a statement that, in general, it does not comment on individual properties, or properties under appeal.