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Baltimore, MD undertakes a pilot of blockchain technology for vacant property record management
Baltimore seeks accurate records for the ownership of 13,600 vacant residential properties. A partnership with Medici Land Governance will produce a blockchain platform for record gathering and storage. This system enables timely property transfers from owners to the city and buyers. A three-year pilot compares the platform's effectiveness with current documentation methods. Future uses of the technology may include smart contracts for contractors and tokenized property ownership.
Baltimore, MD
United States
San Diego County, CA protects homeowners from title fraud with Owner Alert notification system
The county's Real Estate Fraud Unit reported 38 title fraud cases under investigation in October 2022. Owner Alert is a free service for homeowners concerned about losing their properties to fraudulent title transfers. Subscribers provide their email address, name, and Assessor Parcel Number (APN) for targeted notifications. The county clerk's office emails when documents related to the APN are filed. The system allows up to 10 owner names and APNs per email address.
San Diego County, CA
United States
Los Angeles County, CA improves customer experiences with Assessor's Office chatbot
The Assessor's Office undertook a six-year conversion of its software and applications to a cloud-based system. This project supported the creation of an AI-powered chatbot for easier navigation of a new office portal. Residents engage in conversations with the bot in search of current data about property taxes and propositions. The chatbot incorporates lessons learned from past conversations, updated data, and newly added portal features into future interactions.
Los Angeles County, CA
United States
Des Moines, IA and university researchers test AI effectiveness on property assessments
City officials approved a four-month pilot with Iowa State University's Translational AI Center. Street-level images gathered by Des Moines in 2022 will be analyzed by AI technology. The resulting data provide accurate evaluations of exterior conditions for approximately 65,000 residential properties. Pilot data will shape the city's Neighborhood Revitalization Policy and create a cost-effective process for property assessments.
Des Moines, IA
United States
Jackson County, MO simplifies Board of Equalization appeals process with digitization project
County resources were strained when appeals spiked from an average of 7,500 to 22,102 in 2019. The Parcel Viewer tool allows property owners to review their assessments and complete appeals requests without county office visits. Appraisers and their supervisors are automatically updated on appeals through dedicated ArcGIS dashboards. The Board of Equalization accesses its own dashboard for hearing schedules, document reviews, and property comparisons.
Jackson County, MO
United States
Pittsburgh, PA approves a comprehensive bridge evaluation in response to recent bridge collapse
The Pittsburgh City Council approved a two-year, $1.5 million contract with engineering services firm WSP Global’s WSP USA division to manage a comprehensive bridge assessment in response to a recent bridge collapse. The contract calls for the Bridge Asset Management Program report to include recommended maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation for each of the 150 city-owned bridges throughout the city.
Pittsburgh, PA
United States
Fairfield, CT is considering plans to flood-proof nonresidential property and elevate homes
The town of Fairfield considering recommendations from FHI Studio and Resilient Land and Water, consultants hired by the town to address the issue, to flood-proof nonresidential property and elevate homes to become more resilient to coastal flooding. According to the proposed measures, some properties close to riverbanks will have to be acquired by the town.
Fairfield, CT
United States
Pittsburgh, PA Disruptive Properties program charges mismanaged property owners for city services
The city of Pittsburgh is planning to revive a Disruptive Properties program in order to lower crime rates. Through the program, the city's Public Safety Department declares a property as disruptive after it has received three citations for "disruptive activity" such as noise complaints, public intoxication, prostitution, gunfire, etc. The property owner can then appeal through the disruptive properties appeal board. If that appeal is denied, the owner must pay for any city services sent there.
Pittsburgh, PA
United States
Baldwin County, GA created a more enforceable and compassionate Blight Reduction Program
Baldwin County created a Blight Reduction Program sending code enforcement letters to owners of condemned properties which contained specific instructions and outlined the penalty for noncompliance. The homeowner had 30 days to start making progress on compliance without any penalty. As an incentive the county lowered the demolition permit fee from $100 to $10, allowed owners to “cluster” multiple demolitions into a single fee, and recommended private demolition companies with affordable rates.
Baldwin County, GA
United States
Cameron, MO Demolition Program encourages property owners to remove dilapidated structures
The City of Cameron's Community Development Department launched the Demolition Program to encourage property owners to remove structures that are substandard, hazardous, or dangerous. The program allows property owners to either split the demolition cost with the city or sign over the property entirely to the city in exchange for property tax forgiveness and free demolition. Any buyer through the Demolition Program is required to construct a single-family home on the land within two years.
Cameron, MO
United States
Adur & Worthing Councils, GB integrate Aspire software into property inspection processes
The Councils previously used an in-house system reliant on physical documentation and weekly updates. The Aspire system maximizes personnel time and minimizes fuel costs through efficient scheduling of residential and commercial inspections. Property inspectors document additions and other impacts on valuations on their smartphones. Discounts, exemptions, and other forms of tax relief are automatically confirmed by Aspire during annual tax calculations.
Adur & Worthing Councils, GB
United Kingdom
Maui County, HI is offering a property tax break to help longtime residents retain ancestral lands
Maui County is offering a specialized property tax break to help longtime residents retain their ancestral lands. According to the new "Āina Kupuna" measure, any families who have owned their properties for at least three generations or over 80 years are now only obligated to pay the minimum property tax of $350 per year. The measure was created to reduce the burden of rising property taxes due to skyrocketing real estate values.
Maui County, HI
United States