Philly City Council members probe Parker administration on rising property assessments: 'Owners deserve answers now'
In a letter, several Council members said they’re concerned that the recently released property reassessments that will mean tax hikes for thousands of residents, and are demanding answers.
Members of Philadelphia City Council say they’re concerned that the city’s recently released property reassessments will mean tax hikes for thousands of residents, and they are demanding to know more about the city’s methodology used to determine property values.
Councilmember Mike Driscoll, a Democrat who represents the lower Northeast, authored a letter sent Monday to Chief Assessment Officer James Aros Jr. and other top officials in Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration, expressing concerns on behalf of a half-dozen Council members.
He wrote that his office has received “numerous” calls from constituents whose homes will see sharp increases in valuation, the measure that is used to calculate property tax bills.
» READ MORE: Property values in Kensington went up more than any other Philly neighborhood this year
“Many residents are struggling to grasp how their assessments were calculated. Others are worried about what these increases will mean for their property tax bills,” Driscoll wrote. “At a time when families are already facing higher costs for housing, utilities, groceries, and other daily expenses, these concerns need clear answers.”
He outlined six questions for the Office of Property Assessment related its process and methodology, and set an Aug. 15 deadline for the administration to reply, saying “property owners deserve answers now as they review their assessments and consider whether to file an appeal.”
The letter — which was signed by six Council members who are cosponsors of previously introduced legislation to probe the city’s property assessment process — is one of the first formal steps that lawmakers have taken to challenge the citywide revaluation since last month, when property owners received notices of their new assessments.
Citywide, there was a 3% median change in valuations from the 2025 tax year, the last time there was a mass reassessment, according to an Inquirer analysis of assessments of single-family homes.
But some neighborhoods saw much steeper increases. The biggest jump was in Kensington, where median values increased 15.3%. Driscoll represents part of the neighborhood that has been long-beleaguered by the open-air drug market there and where there’s been a concerted effort by the city to improve quality-of-life conditions.
There was also a 15% median increase in property assessments in Mantua and a 12% rise in Kingsessing, both of which are in West Philadelphia and border University City.
New property assessments will take effect on Jan. 1, and property tax bills are due each year by March 31.
Owners who believe that their properties were assessed too high can appeal to the Board of Revision of Taxes by Oct. 5. Informal reviews intended to correct obvious errors can also be requested through the Office of Property Assessment.
Owners whose home is their primary residence can have the taxable portion of their property's assessed value reduced by $100,000 through the homestead exemption, which saves homeowners an average of $1,400 a year. Sign up for the free program here.
Additional tax relief programs include freezes for seniors and low-income people, as well as for homeowners who have lived in their residence for more than 10 years and have seen large jumps in property value over a short time period.
Parker administration officials have said that the city offers a variety of property tax relief programs, including the popular homestead exemption, which erases the first $100,000 in valuation from being taxed for owners who live in their home as their primary residence. Property owners must sign up for the free program.
» READ MORE: Confused by Philly’s property tax relief programs? Use this new tool to see which you’re eligible for.
But for years, dating back long before Parker took office in 2024, Council members have criticized the city’s property reassessment process, saying its methodology is opaque and its results have a disproportionate impact on low-income homeowners.
Multiple reviews are already underway.
In addition to a yet-to-be-scheduled Council hearing, the City Controller is conducting a performance audit of the Office of Property Assessment and the city’s appeal process, according to Driscoll’s letter. Controller Christy Brady’s office has sought feedback from residents and left fliers in neighborhoods where property values are rising.
The Parker administration convened a task force in 2024 to develop recommendations for how the city can improve its appraisal practices.
And the city is in the process of hiring an outside consultant to examine the fairness of its reassessments. According to city records, that analyst will be expected to draft a report by the end of this year.
Inquirer data reporters Yaelle Tang and Lizzie Mulvey contributed to this article.
