Property Appraiser: If you haven't discussed your Ian damage with his office, it's time

Bill Smith, Fort Myers News-Press
Updated ·4 min read
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Lee County is steaming toward setting a tax rate for property tax bills that go out later this year, but Lee County Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell says his office wants to hear from some property owners who have not told the tax collector how much damage Hurricane Ian did to their properties on its trek across the county.

Damage from Hurricane Ian has hit some building owners hard, with damage to the property. Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell says the damage is not recorded in the agency's file, the diminished value caused by the damage won't be on the record.
Damage from Hurricane Ian has hit some building owners hard, with damage to the property. Property Appraiser Matt Caldwell says the damage is not recorded in the agency's file, the diminished value caused by the damage won't be on the record.

Hurricane damage reduces the value of the property, which reduces the property tax bill.

But Caldwell says his office has to know about the hurricane damage to reduce the assessment to the actual value of the property. Some of the damage is obvious to inspectors. But some damage, such as floods and failed structural components, needs a look inside the property if the appraiser's office hasn't checked already.

"We need some kind of reliable communication," Caldwell said. "There’s nothing like us getting to see it ourselves, but the fact is when you see the scale of damage you had we’re not going to get into every house and see every situation. We can't go out and get inside 100,000 houses on January 1, so we are relying on the taxpayers to communicate with us."

Assessed property values up 6.4% countywide

Lee County property values as of Jan. 1, increased by 6.4% compared to the 2022 general revenue tax rate.

Homeowners with Hurricane Ian damage on the inside may end up overpaying their property tax bill if the damage has not been inspected. Appraiser Matt Caldwell said property owners should make sure the damage the home sustained is reported, especially if the damage is on the inside and not visible to the appraiser looking at the value of the house
Homeowners with Hurricane Ian damage on the inside may end up overpaying their property tax bill if the damage has not been inspected. Appraiser Matt Caldwell said property owners should make sure the damage the home sustained is reported, especially if the damage is on the inside and not visible to the appraiser looking at the value of the house

Total assessed value of property in Lee County reached $140.3 billion, $8.4 billion more than the 2022 value.

If not for Hurricane Ian, property in the county would be worth even more, officials said.

The value of real estate in communities most heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian have fallen dramatically, with total assessed value 40% lower than in 2022 in Fort Myers Beach and 31.7% lower on Sanibel.

The four other incorporated communities had property values increase significantly.

Between 2022 and 2023, total real estate values increased 12.7% in Fort Myers and 12.85% in Cape Coral compared to last year's values.

Two incorporated communities in the south county, Bonita Springs and Estero, experienced the largest increase in year-to-year values. Driven by construction booms in each community, values in Bonita increased 20.88% and Estero values were up 20.87%.

The impact of the hurricane in some parts of the incorporated county can be seen in lower values in some of the independent fire districts, where property owners pay a separate assessment for fire protection.

Property value declines in the shoreline communities were greater in Ian's path according to the fall in value in the fire districts.

More: Lee countywide real estate values grow despite Hurricane Ian destruction

More: FEMA: No 'disparity' found in Lee County property appraisal methods

Fort Myers Beach fire district values were down 40%; in the Sanibel district, values fell 34%. Elsewhere, property values dropped 6% in North Fort Myers; 3.95% in Matlacha-Pine Island; 5.3% in Iona McGregor and 2.28% on Captiva.

Two fire districts in which a boom in construction of new homes and apartment buildings saw dramatic increases in value caused by all the new buildings that were added to the tax rolls.

Values in the Bonita Springs fire district increased to a preliminary $15.9 billion, an estimated $473 million more than last year. New construction also led to a San Carlos fire district reaching $645 million more in property value from last year's $6.9 billion, while neighboring Estero was up a preliminary $332 million to a total of an estimated $9.6 billion.

In Lehigh Acres, where homes are usually built one at a time on separate lots east of State Road 82, had $165 million increase in property values. Part of it is because of construction of homes off Daniels Parkway on the opposite side of State Road 82 which is not part of Lehigh but is in the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District.

Protest assessments by contacting the appraiser's office

Tax rates will be finalized in early August when each of the county taxing entities and special purpose districts have public hearings. Tax rates will be finalized by the end of the local government year Sept. 30. Property owners who believe the appraiser's valuations are too high can seek review by the county Value Adjustment Board, where they can state their cases if they believe their property is assessed too high.

Caldwell suggests that property owners who need to report hurricane damage not previously noted by the appraisers should get in touch with the appraiser's office. The phone number is 239-533-6100.

"We live here, we have been through it just the same as everybody else," Caldwell said. "We’re not some ivy tower distantly separated from the decision."

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers Beach properties see values down 40%; Sanibel down 35%