City Of Buffalo Continues Annual Assessment To Maintain 100% Level Of Assessment

Notices sent to property owners with assessment changes

The City of Buffalo today announced the continuation of its annual reassessment program to keep property assessments aligned with the real estate market and ensure a fair distribution of the property tax burden. Over 17,000 notices have been mailed to property owners whose assessments have changed.

Each year, assessors review sales-to assessment ratios across all parcels, validate property sales, review physical changes to properties, and adjust assessments when necessary. Market conditions can create disparities in assessments over time, potentially resulting in an uneven tax burden. Required under New York State Real Property Tax Law, this annual process helps maintain an accurate and equitable assessment roll. Notices are sent only to property owners whose assessments change.

Property owners who receive notices should compare their preliminary assessments with their estimates of their properties’ full market values and review the included resources. Notices provide instructions for reviewing comparable sales and estimating market value, along with examples of documentation that may support a request for informal review. Additional information is available at www. buffalony.gov. Property owners seeking an informal review can submit the enclosed Residential Informal Review Application by mail or in person to the Department of Assessment and Taxation, along with supporting documentation.

Annual reassessment allows the City to identify changes in property values more regularly, rather than relying on infrequent, citywide reassessment projects. The Department of Assessment and Taxation reviews every parcel’s inventory at least once every five years and analyzes neighborhood sales annually to update assessments. This approach spreads reassessment costs over time, helps minimize sudden adjustments to tax bills, and gives property owners greater predictability.

Buffalo’s current level of assessment is 100%, meaning assessed values reflect full market values as of the City’s valuation date of July 1. Maintaining this level provides a consistent basis for distributing the property tax burden.