BLOGSKI

Well, maybe, finally, the dust has settled.  The controversial reassessment figures won’t be used until next year.  But they will come into play eventually, so property owners who feel their reassessment was too high still should file for a formal appeal.  The deadline to file is February 10 and it’s easy to do; just fill out this form (you can also pick up a copy at the PHCA office), fill it out, and mail it in .

At the January Polish Hill community meeting, guest speaker Wayde Fargotstein, from the Allegheny County Assessment office gave residents some pointers on presenting an effective case.

– In deciding whether to appeal, look at the overall value of the property.  Don’t get distracted by the increased land values; look at the overall number.  If the total is consistent with what comparables are selling for, you might be better off accepting the assessment.

– You need to show some comparables, or comps, (properties with characteristics that are similar to the property whose value is being sought) from your area.  Wayde noted that although there are comps on your property page, it’s better to select your own.  You can find information on comparable properties on the Allegheny County Assessment website — go to the bottom of this page, click on Continue, and enter your street name, or the name of a street nearby that has similar properties.  When you enter just the street name, a list of all the properties on that street will come up.  Find three that have been sold within the last two years and are close to your property in size and condition.  For each, print out the information page, also the second page, with property condition, and the photo.  That’s three sheets for each comp — now make 3 copies of each.  You will have to leave the paper documentation with the officers.

– Keep in mind that assessments are about market value, not what you paid for your house.  If there’s a reason why your property is worth less than comparables, you need to prove it with documentation.  Maybe the roof leaks, it needs new windows or a furnace.  Take pictures of all conditions that would reduce the value.  Other valid forms of documentation might be receipts for repairs, or estimates from contractors.

– If your house has been appraised by a licensed professional in the past couple of years, take that appraisal.

District 7 Councilman Patrick Dowd’s office has been keeping track of properties sold recently and are compiling a list of recent sale prices.  Seniors and others without internet access can call Councilman Dowd’s office at 412.255.2140 for help in finding comps; the office can send copies of info in the mail.

Increasing the number of owner-occupants in Polish Hill is one of the PHCA’s primary goals.  A big contributing factor in the growth of Polish Hill, and a sign of a healthy neighborhood, is that many people have purchased homes and become engaged in the community.  It’s been well documented that owners will take better care of property they live in.  Owner-occupants will also care more about the community beyond their property line.

Some of the property management companies or individuals with properties in Polish Hill, like Blue Dog,  do a great job and also contribute to the community.  But the PHCA has seen too many instances in which properties belonging to absentee landlords are in severe disrepair or have problem tenants who make life miserable for everyone living nearby.

So many people were not thrilled to see the recent targeted mailing to Polish Hill property owners.  We were curious about what sort of company was trolling our neighborhood for properties to buy to turn over to people whose only interest in our community is to be “headache free with nothing to worry about except collecting rent checks every month.”

When you look up Certified Sold, what you find is a typo-ridden website offering “Landlording and Real Estate Investing for the Hands Off Investor”.  Certified Sold buys buildings, resells them to “investors”, then does the property management for the buildings, including finding tenants and doing any repairs.  The “investor” pays a fee to have the management, of course, and pockets the rest.

And of course, there’s nothing illegal or shady about this; the arrangement is probably quite profitable for both Certified Sold and the ‘investors’.  But how does this sort of ownership help Polish Hill as a community?  We believe it doesn’t.  Polish Hill needs property owners who are hands-on and care about the neighborhood; the sort of arrangement that Certified Sold is promoting does just the opposite.

What a crazy week!  Bracing for the long haul, PHCA staff researched, collected, and made copies of forms.  We studied up, attended informational meetings, took notes, and got ready.

And yesterday, to everyone’s relief, the powers that be said, “Never mind”.  Here, from the Allegheny County website:

Effective January 5, 2012, Allegheny County has certified the 2011 assessed values for use countywide for taxation purposes.  This means that the property values will remain at the 2002 base-year value adjusted for any new construction and appeals, as is done each year.  At this time Informal reviews will not be rescheduled.

The market values released for the City of Pittsburgh and Mt. Oliver are not being used.  Property owners who have scheduled an informal hearing that has not yet been conducted will have that hearing canceled.

If you have problems or concerns related to your 2011 value, file for a formal appeal on or before March 31.  If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Property Assessments at 412-350-4600 or opa@alleghenycounty.us.

We should note that according to an article in the Post-Gazette, “Mayor Luke Ravenstahl…encouraged city residents to continue filing formal appeals if they think their new assessment is incorrect in case the court overturns Mr. Fitzgerald’s action.”

Filing for a formal appeal is simple, just fill out this form and mail it in.  We also have copies of this form at the PHCA office.  If the action stands, you will have to cancel the appeal in writing.

Let’s hope it stands…this has been a stressful week for Pittsburgh property owners.

(Above:  At the property tax reassessment public meeting at the Stephen Foster Center in Lawrenceville, January 3.  Photo by Leslie Clague for the PHCA)

At the next neighborhood community meeting (held on Tuesday January 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the senior room on the lower level of the West Penn Recreation Center), one of the main points of discussion will be the property tax reassessments.  Most Polish Hill property owners we’ve heard from have reported that their assessment went up by about 250%; a few got increases of as much as 400%.  We’re getting a lot of calls and visitors asking what they should do.   Short answer:  if you disagree with your assessment, you have through January 13 to apply for an informal review.  Here is a list of answers to frequently asked questions about the process.  And here is the link to the Informal Review page.  You can also call 412-350-4600.  (Here is some more information on how to appeal from the local CBS station.)

District 7, along with the City’s Finance Department, will host two public meetings on January 3, 2012 to explain the appeal process and to answer residents’ questions. The first will be held in Lawrenceville at the Stephen Foster Center, 286 Main Street, at 12noon, and the second in Morningside at the VFW, 1820 Morningside Avenue, at 6pm.

Homeowners should also look into the Homestead exclusion; if you are eligible, it can ease your property taxes.  Offered by the City of Pittsburgh since 2001, this program reduces the value of your home by $10,000.  The 2011 City of Pittsburgh Real Estate Tax Savings is $108.00.  Here is a printable application form, and here are the instructions.

Here’s an article from yesterday’s Post-Gazette about the impact the reassessment letters have made.

(Above:  PHCA president Terry Doloughty reacts to the reassessment letter for the organization’s building; the assessed value went up 250%.  Photo by Leslie Clague)

As Pittsburgh property owners brace for the upcoming reassessments, the news is that the average assessment will rise by about 50%.  Property owners are also being told that they can appeal the

Pittsburgh has seen big changes in home values over the last decade.  Earlier this year, the Tribune put out an interesting chart showing the average sale prices on homes in the various wards, compared assessed value was.  In most cases, homes were being assessed for much lower than they were actually selling for.  But big jumps in tax assessments will be difficult for homeowners.

If you have questions about the Allegheny County property assessment appeal process, you are invited to join the office of Councilman Patrick Dowd and Lawrenceville United for an educational presentation by the Finance Department of the City of Pittsburgh on the Allegheny County property assessment appeal process.  The presentation will take place on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. at the Stephen Foster Community Center of CYA, 286 Main Street, in Lawrenceville.

Finance Department staff will educate homeowners about the Allegheny County property assessment appeal process and the impact on City of Pittsburgh property taxes.  Finance Department staff are not capable of addressing questions about individual assessments.

Questions about the meeting can be directed to the Office of City Councilman Patrick Dowd at 412-255-2140 or district7@pittsburghpa.gov.

Additional resources:

City of Pittsburgh: Frequently Asked Questions –  http://www.pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/appealassist/faqs

Allegheny County, Property Assessments: Informal Review online form - http://apps.county.allegheny.pa.us/InformalReviews/

Allegheny County, Property Assessments: Formal Appeal form http://www.alleghenycounty.us/opa/2012NewAppealForm_Pgh_MtOliver11.pdf

City of Pittsburgh 311 Non-Emergency Response line: 311 or 412-255-2621

Allegheny County Office of Property Assessment Public Information Line: 412-350-4600

(Above:  Councilman Patrick Dowd, Senator Jim Ferlo, PHCA president Terry Doloughty, and Polish Hill homeowner Evan Clark.)

On Friday October 28, the PHCA met with Senator Jim Ferlo, Councilman Patrick Dowd, and representatives from PennDot to look at a section of Bigelow Boulevard.  During heavy rains or snow runoff, water pours over the retaining wall near the public stairs leading from Harding up to the bus stop on Bigelow.  Flooding at this spot has damaged a home on Harding Street below, owned by Evan Clark.

The flooding occurs because the road, in being repaved again and again over the years, is now higher than the small drain at this site.  There isn’t a gutter on the road to direct the water, so the excess floods the sidewalk and washes over the wall onto the home below. The City has already installed a section of solid metal fence above the home (seen just to the right of the stairs in the photo below), which has helped somewhat.

Another issue that was discussed during the meeting is that building owners along this stretch recently received letters telling them that they are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks on Bigelow.  These sidewalks are about 20 feet above their properties, on the other side of a wall owned by the City.  The consensus seemed to be that the City may actually be responsible for the sidewalks, since they abut City property (the wall), not private.

I’s rare to get so many public officials together for an on-site meeting such as this.  After the tragic flooding deaths in Highland Park in August, there is more awareness about the issues relating to storm water control.  And Bigelow Boulevard, which is a state road, has already been identified as one that will need to be overhauled at some point in the future.

Many people are not aware that Bigelow runs through Polish Hill from the Bloomfield Bridge to Frank Curto Park. (the border of Polish Hill is two blocks above the boulevard, on Ridgeway Street).  The Polish Hill Strategic Plan, which is nearly completed, includes Bigelow Boulevard as an area to be addressed.  Issues such as speeding, road conditions, sidewalks overgrown with weeds and brush, and the ever-increasing number of billboards are all concerns.  Traffic turning down into Polish Hill tends to stay at a higher speed through our narrow streets.  Solving these problems is complicated by the fact that this is a state road, and that Lamar owns a lot of the property on which they have billboards.

Are you fixing up an old house or other building — or planning to?  The Landmarks Housing Resource Center is hosting two sessions this month dedicated to window restoration.  This mini-series will be a great opportunity to get a hands-on approach to home restoration projects.

Window Restoration: Session 1
Instructed by Don Reed, Master Carpenter and Artist at the Slaughterhouse Gallery and Studios in Lawrenceville.  This is event is FREE

In this session participants will learn about how to identify and maintain components of older windows. Participants will also learn about techniques for proper window installation, window restorations methods and how to improve your window’s energy efficiency.

DATE: Saturday, August 13, 2011
TIME: 2:00pm – 3:30pm
LOCATION: Landmarks Housing Resource Center, 744 Rebecca Avenue, Wilkinsburg, PA 15221

Don Reed owns and runs the Slaughterhouse Gallery and Studios with Garth Jones. The gallery is  housed in a historic building in Lawrenceville and in the last 10 years Reed and Jones have developed an expertise in restoration. Reed has been a woodworker and teacher for many years. This session promises to help you gain confidence and insight on how to best tackle your own restoration projects.

Window Restoration: Session 2
Instructed by Jenna Vanden Brink, Union Project in Highland Park.  This event is FREE.

This session will provide a demonstration of how to restore stained glass. Stained glass is quite elegant and delicate. In this session participants will learn the proper techniques on how to restore these pieces art to their former glory. Union Project usually provides these workshops at their facility in Highland Park. We are excited to welcome them to the LHRC in Wilkinsburg.

DATE: Saturday, August 27, 2011
TIME: 2:00pm – 3:30pm
LOCATION: Landmarks Housing Resource Center, 744 Rebecca Avenue, Wilkinsburg, PA 15221

Union Project is located in historic Second Presbyterian Church in Highland Park. They were pivotal in the $1.5 million restoration of the building, which included a stained glass restoration effort that lasted over two years, involved 1,300 volunteers and would have cost over $1 million dollars to complete. As a result Union Project designed an stained glass restoration program and has provided workshops to the Pittsburgh community since 2004.

If you are interested in attending please RSVP to Mary Lu Denny at 412-471-5808 ext 527 or marylu@phlf.org.

Landmarks Housing Resource Center has a lot of interesting workshops coming up, including one on rain barrels, preparing your home for winter, home buyer education, and one about using the materials and services at Construction Junction for your DIY projects.  All workshops are free; for more information, check here.

(photo borrowed from an interesting tutorial on refinishing old windows with organic linseed paint)

On Saturday, April 9th, Dollar Bank will be hosting its annual Mortgages for Mothers workshop on avenues to homeownership. The event will be held at the Sheraton Station Square and will feature Lynn Hayes-Freeland of KDKA-TV. You can find out more about the workshop on Dollar Bank’s site.

The workshop covers how you can own your own home, including information about:
• Grant money for closing costs*
• Credit counseling and restoration programs*
• Affordable mortgage and down payment options
• Programs to help public housing residents, section 8 tenants and renters (Minimum annual family income requirements)
• Your free credit report including an evaluation

Mortgages for Mothers
FREE Workshop
The right way to reach homeownership!
Saturday, April 9th
9:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast
Sheraton Station Square
Call 1-800-345-DOLLAR (3655) for reservations or visit dollarbank.com.

Spring is just around the corner and Staffski is sure that everyone is gearing up for the home projects that they have been scheming about all of this long winter. Well, there are two must-attend events this month that, as homeowners and enthusiastic remodelers, you might want to plan to attend. BLOGSKI has already posted about Curb Appeal, which takes place on March 19. One week later (March 26), Patrick Dowd (Council District 7), is collaboratively producing a workshop on adding value to your home. The partners for the event are Lawrenceville United, the Morningside Area Community Council and the Stanton Heights Neighborhood Association. From the event page –

Have you considered making some improvements to your home – a new retaining wall, colorful landscaping, energy-saving insulation or even a new bathroom? Home renovations can be expensive, but, when done correctly, can greatly increase your enjoyment of your home and its resale value.

The workshop is packed with topics, covering architecture, landscaping, energy efficiency and financing. For a full list of what will be covered, please check the event page. There is no fee and you don’t have to register to attend.

A 10th Ward Home Improvement Workshop:
Adding Value to Your Home and Community
Saturday, March 26, 2011
10:00am – 12:00pm (doors open at 9:45am)
Cost: Free
Sunnyside Elementary School
4801 Stanton Avenue, Pgh, PA 15201

The state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, supported by the state lottery, benefits Pennsylvanians 65 or older; widows and widowers 50 or older; and people with disabilities 18 or older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.

The maximum rebate a homeowner or renter can receive is $650. Seniors living in Allegheny County with incomes under $30,000 will receive an additional 50 percent rebate if their property taxes for 2010 were at least 15 percent of their income. The modification will be automatically computed by the Department of Revenue.

If you received a rebate last year, you should have received a 2010 application form in the mail. Applications are also available from your local representatives (the closet would be Senator Ferlo’s office on Butler Street), online, at local area agencies on aging  or senior centers, or by calling 1-888-222-9190.  If you need help filling out the form, Senator Ferlo’s staff can assist you; call them at 412.621.3006 or visit them at 3519 Butler Street.

The deadline to apply is June 30. Rebates will be distributed beginning July 1.

For any assistance or questions regarding the program, call 1-888-222-9190.