Will the 2019 Abatement Process in Nashua be Fair?

After the KRT appraisal assessment update in 2018, almost 400 abatements were filed with the City. Over 200 were residential abatements. The City was unable to handle the workload, so they hired KRT to perform more than 50 of the abatements.

KRT did not apply the same process that the Nashua Assessors did on the abatements. While the burden of proof is on the property owner to show disproportion, the City carries the burden to show they acted reasonably, without bias, and must be able to offer an opinion of value. This did not happen with the KRT abatements.

According to the KRT contract, KRT was to provide a market value analysis to anyone wishing to review their assessments. Aldermen were told that it contain pretty good detail for the property owner to understand why their assessment increased. For those of us who attended second hearings to discuss our assessment, no market analysis or discussion on how the number was arrived was provided.

 How did KRT handle the more than 50 abatements relative to the City Assessors?

 KRT believed that their model represented perfection, describing it as “powerful”  and they carried no burden to act reasonably, without bias, and offer an opinion of value.

 How did homeowners fair with KRT?

 ·      33% of the abatements were approved, roughly 17 out of the 52.

·      KRT rejected all sales opinions, sales data, and appraisals supplied by homeowners and instead made “ data corrections” to the property record cards.

·      KRT never applied the equalization ratio (94.5%) because they rejected all sales data.

·      On average, those approved, had the assessments decreased by 5.5%.

 How did homeowners fair with the Nashua Assessor performing the abatements?

 ·      Nashua Assessors granted 85% of the abatements, 113 out of 134.

·      Assessments were reduced by about 12%. 

·      Nashua Assessors provided sales data, performed fee appraisals, and used the state calculated equalization ratio for all sales based abatements.

 The Board of Assessor approved two different processes, one applied by Nashua Assessors and the other by KRT, despite the fact that this skewed equity.  City legal was present through all of this and ignored the inequities.

 How will 2019 abatements be handled?

This is an unknown. While the burden of proof is on the Nashua property owners, the Board does not review the applications for abatements submitted by owners; They only act on what the Assessor tell them and the reports the Assessors produce.

This is an unfair, one-sided process that should be change by creating new policy. With the Board only representing the interests of the City, this accentuates the opposing forces of “us against them” . The Board of Assessors are there to be unbiased and create equity for all properties.

If you file an abatement, request that your application be reviewed by the Board and ask the assessor assigned to your abatement to email you any settlement agreement or documentation they generate to go before the Board. Finally, ask to be contacted when the abatement is brought forward for approval or denial. If you are not satisfied with the Assessor’s conclusion, you have the right to request placement on the agenda to speak about your new assessment.

 A more informed public will create a more informed Board.