North San Antonio Edition | July 2023

2023 HOME EDITION

Tax relief BEXAR COUNTY Homestead exemption: 20%

Tax exemptions and freezes are available to North San Antonio- area homeowners. To learn more about how to apply for an exemption or freeze visit the taxing entity’s website or in Bexar County check www.bcad.org.

Calls for tax relief Griscom said homeowners have until May 15 or 30 days after they get an appraisal notice to protest their home value. Griscom said when a taxpayer les a protest, they must mark on a Bexar Appraisal District form their reason, which is usually what they believe to be an incorrect appraisal or that their home value is unequal compared with surrounding properties. Griscom also urged taxpayers to check with their respective taxing entities, such as the cities of San Antonio or Hollywood Park, to see if they are eligible to apply for available property tax relief. Several local governments recently approved tax relief measures, includ- ing San Antonio doubling its home- stead exemption from 10% to 20%. In February, Hollywood Park City Council voted 4-1 to raise the city’s senior tax exemption from $5,000 to $20,000. Despite local leaders’ concerns about how the expanded exemption could aect the town’s revenues, Council Member Glenna Pearce said residents deserve additional tax relief. “I think we’re all on the same page that we want to stay solvent and s- cally healthy, but it’s on us to also look out for our residents,” Pearce said. CITY OF SHAVANO PARK Over age 65 exemption: $5,000 Senior tax freeze year: 2004 NORTH EAST ISD Over age 65 exemption: $10,000 Disabled person exemption: $10,000 State-mandated homestead exemption: $40,000 TOWN OF HOLLYWOOD PARK Over age 65 exemption: $20,000 SOURCES: CITIES OF HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE, HOLLYWOOD PARK, SAN ANTONIO AND SHAVANO PARK; BEXAR COUNTY; NORTH EAST ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: THIS LIST IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE.

Over age 65 exemption: $50,000 Disabled person exemption: $5,000 Senior tax freeze year: 2005 CITY OF HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE Homestead exemption: 20% Over age 65 exemption: $50,000 Disabled person exemption: $50,000 CITY OF SAN ANTONIO Over age 65 exemption: $85,000 Disabled person exemption: $85,000

Homestead exemption: 20% Senior tax freeze year: 2005

protest of their 2023 market value. That number is down slightly from the 13,729 homeowners’ appeals from the same area in 2022. Countywide, total appraisal pro- test numbers this year stand at 171,572—down from 178,415 last year, Griscom said. “I’d love to see things return to nor- mal to be honest. Our protest number set records last year,” Griscom said, referring to the district receiving fewer than 140,000 protests per year Griscom said the appraisal district encourages taxpayers to protest their appraisals if they feel they have the evidence that could lead to a reduc- tion in their home values. Here, Griscom said, the appraisal district can directly educate taxpayers on what goes into assessing property values and formulate a clearer picture of the property in question. Griscom said the appraisal district is required by state law to value each property at 100% of existing market value characteristics and factor the sales prices of comparable properties in the area. “We also break the county down into what we consider comparable neighborhoods. We look at it on a granular level to determine what the market’s doing, and we adjust val- ues to the maximum in the market,” Griscom said. in 2019, 2020 and 2021. How appraisals work

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NORTH SAN ANTONIO EDITION • JULY 2023