Homeowners in Hugo who suffered property damage in the May 25 tornado and hail storm might be eligible for property tax relief under a plan that Washington County commissioners approved Tuesday.
The board's resolution means that the county now will apply for state reimbursement on property taxes for owners of destroyed and damaged houses, said Kevin Corbid, the county's tax and property records director. The county has identified 386 houses that suffered a total loss of $24 million. Damage averaged $62,103 per house, Corbid said.
State approval for the plan would mean that some rebates and credits become automatic. If the state denies the county's appeal, the county would have to decide individual homeowner requests, Corbid said.
The Creekview Preserve and Waters Edge developments west of Hwy. 61, where the tornado touched down, suffered the worst damage, he told commissioners. Thirty-nine houses were destroyed, meaning they either collapsed or were unstable and had to be razed. A larger area east of Hwy. 61 includes houses and other structures with hail and wind damage.
Under the county's plan, homeowners with houses inside the county's defined disaster area -- and that are more than 50 percent damaged -- can apply for a 2008 property tax rebate. Corbid said the abatement equals the difference between the original 2008 tax and the tax amount the county computed after the storm. Homeowners outside the defined disaster area with more than 50 percent damage are eligible for abatement, but only for the months that the property is uninhabitable.
Credits on 2009 property taxes also are available, subject to county approval.
Corbid said that affected homeowners will receive letters this week asking if they wish to dispute their assessed damages. The assessments don't include vehicles, trailers and other items outside the houses, he said.
Homeowners wanting more specific information can contact Corbid at the county's Property Records and Taxpayer Services Department at 651-430-6182.
