LAC 61:V.213 — Assessment Policies and Procedures

A. All property within the State of Louisiana shall be assessed at a percentage of fair market value or use value, as the law provides, and either placed on the regular tax rolls, exempt rolls, or adjudicated tax rolls.
B. Assessors shall value property at fair market value and then assessed valuations shall be based upon the percentage classification requirements of the Louisiana Constitution, Article VII, Section 18(B).
C. All property shall be reappraised and valued in accordance with the constitution at intervals of not more than four years. This quadrennial cycle reappraisal date is determined by the Louisiana Tax Commission.
D. “Sales chasing” and “sales listing chasing” is expressly prohibited. “Sales chasing” is the procedure by which an individual property assessment is based solely upon the price the property sold for. “Sales listing chasing” is the procedure by which an individual property assessment is based solely upon the listed sales price of the property.
E. The assessors shall submit applicable reporting forms to all taxpayers located within their parish, whether taxable or exempt, to ensure equity and uniformity in the assessment and valuation of all properties utilizing proper reporting data. Reporting forms should include the items outlined in Section 211.C. for property subject to an ITEP contract. If a taxpayer fails to report or files a false report, the assessors should apply those penalties provided for in state law.
F. The assessor shall collect and consider publicly available information and data, as well as market sales, cost, and income data, in determining fair value, and shall consider such information in determining fair market value. Any publicly available information and data, including market sales, cost, and income data, is deemed to have been presented to the assessor prior to the deadline for filing a complaint with the Board of Review provided for in R.S. 47:1992. Such information includes, but is not limited to:
1. aerial or other photography;
2. any Louisiana public record, including those of the Clerks of Court or other political subdivisions, including but not limited to building permits, conveyance records, city directories, occupancy permits, or demolition permits, and of the Department of Natural Resources, including but not limited to data from the Strategic Online Natural Resource Information System (SONRIS);
3. CAMA and/or mapping records;
4. public records;
5. legal news publications;
6. newspaper publications;
7. 911 Emergency Response System records;
8. occupational licenses;
9. occupancy permits;
10. physical inspections;
11. sales data, including but not limited to multiple listings reports (e.g. Multiple Listing Service and DeedFax);
12. utility records;
13. voter registrations;
14. cost data or cost guides and their related sources, including but not limited to N.A.D.A., Manufactured Housing Appraisal Guide and Marshall and Swift Cost Manual;
15. income data or income guides and their related sources, including but not limited to reports from the National Apartment Association, Trends reports, the HOST Almanac, and Multiple Listing Service.
G. The LTC recommends that the assessor preserve a copy of all documents and written communication submitted by a taxpayer and shall maintain an individual file for each assessment/taxpayer for at least four years and shall record the date each document was received. In addition to a copy of any documents, the LTC recommends that the assessor also maintain a log of all non-written communication from a taxpayer, including the date of the communication, a brief summary of the communication, and the name and contact information of the persons privy to the communication, which shall be maintained in the individual file for such assessment/taxpayer. Such documents, written communication, and log of non-written communication shall be confidential and not available to the public.
H. When performing a valuation of any affordable rental housing property, the assessor shall not consider any of the following in determining fair market value:
1. income tax credits available to the property under Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code;
2. below-market interest rate on financing obtained under the Home Investment Partnership Program under the Cranston-Gonzales National Affordable Housing Act, or the Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program established pursuant to the Financial Institution Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989;
3. any other federal, state, or similar program intended to provide or finance affordable rental housing to persons of low or moderate income and requiring restricted occupancy and rental rates based on the income of the persons occupying such housing.
I. The fair market value of real property determined by the commission in connection with a review of the correctness of an assessment under R.S. 47:1989 shall be utilized by the assessor for assessment purposes in the subsequent tax years until reappraisal in a future mandated reappraisal year, unless there has been a change in the physical condition of the property that would justify reappraisal or a change in value. Nothing in this subparagraph shall be interpreted or applied to limit an assessor’s ability or obligation to reduce an assessment due to a change in the condition of the property or under R.S. 47:1978 or R.S. 47:1978.1.
NOTE: Also see, Chapter 1, §111.D. thru D.3. and Chapter 3, §303.C.4. thru C.4.c.