Ken Metzner is executive director of Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, a lawyer and minister who advocates for his beleaguered community and the entire City of Philadelphia for reform of the Board of Real Estate Taxes (BRT.) It’s a Sisysphian battle but we’ve won a few rounds thanks to active citizens like Metzner. Now this unqualified board is calling homeowners to inspect the interior of their homes, an unprecedented move. Even the office of Licenses and Inspection can’t be moved to inspect a home’s interior unless they receive many complaints from neighbors of a valid problem. Please take a moment to read Metzner’s letter below and let him know what you know about interior inspections.
I, for one, would not allow anyone from the BRT into my home until I learn if it is
a. lawful and until
b. I am certain the inspectors are qualified and
c. know what it is exactly they are looking to find and d. how that would influence my tax assessment.
Hi Folks — A few people who have appeals pending before the BRT for the proposed 2011 taxes have contacted me recently to say that the “Office of Property Assessment” [new name, same assessors] has been calling to schedule an inspection of the INTERIOR of their homes.
Has anyone else received such a request? If so, please let me know. Some are viewing this latest development as further intimidation of those who file appeals given that the homes of folks who are not appealing do not appear to be subject to this kind of inspection. I’d therefore like to look into it a bit more and would appreciate your stories…
I’d also like to hear from any long-time Philly residents regarding their experience, if any, with interior inspections being requested by an assessor. Our feeling is that this is something very new.
Thanks for keeping the information flowing.
Regards,
Ken Metzner
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