The Town of Mamaroneck Real Property Reassessment Project

The Town of Mamaroneck is conducting reassessment of all real property to achieve more equitable assessments.  The process will follow the New York State Real Property Tax Law in accordance with Section 1573.

Overview

The last Town-wide reassessment was in 1968.  Since then properties have appreciated and depreciated differently over time.  By conducting a reassessment, the Town is working to ensure that property owners pay only their fair share of the tax burden, no more and no less.  Reassessment does not raise more tax dollars; a reassessment re-distributes property taxes in a fair way.  The goal is to create a more equitable assessment roll.

The contractor for the Reassessment Project is GAR Associates.  GAR works solely in New York State and has conducted many reassessments.  According to New York State Real Property Tax Law Section 305, all properties within a municipality are to be assessed uniformly.  It is the Town’s intention to gain as much information as reasonably possible to assist in creating new full market value assessments for the 2013 assessment roll.

The Town has also hired a Project Administrator, Mr. Tom Frey, a member of the International Assessing Officers Assoc. to oversee the Project.  The New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services will monitor and eventually validate the assessment roll as well.

It is very important to have the cooperation of property owners in providing inventory information.  This includes access to both the property’s interior and exterior; gathering as much information as reasonably possible results in the most accurate valuation.  If GAR Associates does not have property owners’ cooperation, however, it does not mean that a reasonable full market value assessment cannot be produced.  We understand and respect property owners’ rights to refuse access to their property.  A full market assessment will be made of every parcel in the Town regardless of access.

You need not be concerned about renovations in your home.  The Town has adopted an Amnesty Program for property owners in the Unincorporated Area whose property includes improvements that were made without obtaining proper permits.  The Town will require these property owners to file for a permit, but the Town will not charge a permit fee or violation charges through February 2, 2013.  Keep in mind the data collectors/appraisers are not building inspectors or code enforcement officers.  It is never our intention to “penalize” a property owner for maintaining his or her home.  However, if they collect data that does not match assessment records, this data will be reported to the Building Department.

Local law enforcement as well as the Town Assessor’s Office and the Town Clerk’s offices have a complete list of authorized data collectors.  GAR Associates is keeping a current list of streets in regards to where the data collectors are working.  This list is titled “Current Data Collection Location” and is available on this website.  It will be updated on a weekly basis.

Please feel free to call the Town at 381-7805 or GAR Associates at 1-866-910-1776 if you have any questions.

Check with this website periodically for announcement and updates.