County assessment appeal hearings begin

The Sussex County Board of Assessment Review began hearing appeals March 10 after the first countywide revaluation in a half-century sharply increased the values of property.

Property owners have until Monday, March 31, to request a hearing. Applications are available in the Sussex County Assessment Office or online at sussexcountyde.gov.

There are no more than a handful of hearings in a typical year, but the countywide update is expected to draw many requests this year, said Chip Guy, public information director for the county, in a March 11 email. The first two hearings were heard March 10. 

If an agreement can be reached after a hearing, it is submitted to the board for review and a decision.

The total assessed value of taxable properties in Sussex County increased to $91 billion, more than 20 times the total value during the last assessment update in 1974, according to figures released by the county. 

The countywide reassessment was spurred by an education funding lawsuit filed against the State of Delaware and all three counties in 2018. The case was settled in 2021, with all three counties agreeing to conduct property reassessments.

Sussex County paid Tyler Technologies nearly $10 million to update the values of nearly 200,000 properties.

Tyler staff held informal hearings from November to January. A total of 11,647 hearings were scheduled, but 731 property owners did not show and 293 canceled. Of those who requested hearings, 6,082, or 52%, resulted in a change, while 4,541, or 39%, did not.

On Feb. 18, Tyler sent 17,824 new notices due to the informal appeal review process and additional property improvements.

Updated assessments will be used for the first time in determining school and county bills to be distributed in August.