Philadelphia’s City Council is at odds with the Office of Property Assessment (OPA) following a recent hearing regarding the agency’s performance. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s Philadelphia Home Assessment Bias Task Force released a report recommending a two- to three-year citywide reassessment cycle, a suggestion that has met resistance from some council members who favor a freeze on assessments.
City Council Questions OPA’s Reassessment Strategy
During the hearing, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier emphasized the need to prioritize equity alongside reassessments, questioning OPA chief James Aros about the possibility of halting reassessments until more progress is made on the task force’s recommendations. Aros declined to commit to a pause, arguing that such a move would hinder improvement.
Despite some experts noting improvements in OPA’s performance, recent assessments revealed significant valuation increases in impoverished areas like Kensington, with some neighborhoods experiencing spikes of up to 50%. Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who represents parts of Kensington, expressed her frustration with Aros’s responses, highlighting ongoing issues of unfairness and lack of transparency in the assessment process.
Task Force Acknowledges Improvements but Calls for Reforms
The task force’s findings indicate that while OPA’s performance has improved, disparities remain. Monty Wilson from Community Legal Services acknowledged the agency’s progress but noted that OPA still makes thousands of errors across nearly 600,000 properties. He suggested extending the window for challenging assessments to allow property owners more time to contest potentially inflated tax bills.
OPA is also seeking better data for future evaluations and aims to collaborate with Council members for in-person inspections in specific neighborhoods. Another recommendation from the task force is an independent review of OPA’s practices to address lingering disparities and develop fairer assessment approaches.
Following the hearing, Council members have yet to determine their next steps, as they are still reviewing the task force’s report issued last Friday. Aros indicated that while no action plan would be developed immediately, the hearing marked the beginning of a critical discussion on property assessments in Philadelphia.
