MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County Assessor of Property told ABC24 Thursday that their August announcement of an “anticipated substantial increase in property taxes” was a mistake.
Shelby County Assessor of Property Melvin Burgess says they still expect a serious increase in property values during the 2025 countywide reappraisal. But because of that, the tax rate should actually go down.
According to Tennessee state law, if property values in the county do go up, then the property tax rate has to go down so that the county gets the same amount of property tax revenue. The county government is not allowed to turn a profit from the reappraisal.
Burgess said that, during the 2021 reappraisal, they saw property values in vulnerable areas like New Chicago, Orange Mound and South Memphis stay the same or go down.
The same could happen again during the 2025 reappraisal, he says.
Burgess said the reasons are due to the market value and what the property in the area around homes is like.
“You notice in some of our distressed areas, you’ll notice there are no grocery stores, there are no banks or there are no shopping centers, no Home Depots,” Burgess said.
Elijah Mason, who has lived in Orange Mound for 20 years, said that the distressed area designation needs to change.
“It’s wrong man and as the people, I feel like we need to stand up more and speak on it,” Mason said. “They say they shut down this one grocery store right here."
These potential drastic changes in property value during the four-year gap between reappraisals is why Burgess is pushing for reappraisals every two years, so that homeowners can take advantage of property when it is most valuable and get a more accurate picture of their situation.
Burgess believes one of the most affective ways to increase property values in distressed areas is having more affordable housing.
“Because at the end of the day, a homeowner has more at stake than a renter in your neighborhood,” Burgess said.
There are a few new homes that have been built or are currently being renovated by owners in Orange Mound.
“Look at this house, man,” Mason said. “It looks like a house that would be in Germantown.”
Mason says it takes the entire community doing their part to make lasting change.
“You can’t point the finger if you don’t really make a move on it,” he said.
Burgess is encouraging all homeowners to appeal any property values they don’t think are right in the 2025 reappraisal. His office is also holding community meetings to help explain the process to residents.
The next community meeting is set for the McFarland Community Center on September 19th.