Hard-hit Pilsen homeowners notch lower tax bills

Homeowners in Pilsen will see lower property taxes later this year, following a slew of assessment appeals that were prompted by soaring tax increases in 2021.

Residents in the Lower West Side neighborhood who were granted appeals of their assessments scored an average reduction of nearly 11 percent, which will show up on people’s second bill installment this November, Block Club reported.

But the reductions are only coming after significant hikes that shocked many property owners in the area.

In 2022, there were 11,907 appeals, marking a 25 percent increase from the last assessment cycle in 2018, according to the Cook County Board of Review, the body charged with determining whether to grant appeals from property owners for a smaller assessment and tax bill. Thus, the number of appeals that resulted in a reduced assessment being granted in Pilsen rose by 52 percent during that stretch, said Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas.

“It’s important to keep people in their homes,” Cardenas told the outlet. “For me, my ability and the power of the office really lies on checking the information provided by the assessor … and if we do it in a way that is diligent, we’re going to come out of it with a good result.”

Local residents began protesting high property taxes — which are determined based on a property’s value set by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office — at the end of last year. Valuations in gentrifying neighborhoods including Pilsen, Avondale and Rogers Park, were hit hardest with increases and thus higher tax bills, according to the Cook County Treasurer’s Office. 

In light of the pushback, Kaegi agreed to meet with Pilsen residents earlier this year to explain the tax increases and answer questions. In addition, the Board of Review has hosted workshops and partnered with community groups to discuss the matter, while providing instructions on how to file for reductions. 

Another way homeowners can pay less in property taxes is by filing a tax savings exemption with the assessor’s office. There are a number of ways to qualify for an exemption, such as  living in the home you own, being a senior on a fixed income, having a disability or being a veteran returning from active duty. 

Homeowners have until Friday to file for an exemption. Akin to assessment appeals, exemptions will show up on the second of this year’s two tax bill installments, this fall.

— Quinn Donoghue  

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