St. Joseph County Assessor addresses New Carlisle property value spikes

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind.-- St. Joseph County Assessor Michael Castellon held a town hall meeting Sunday with neighbors from the Stone Oaks Estates subdivision, just outside New Carlisle.

"Anytime i see a neighborhood that has an exorbitant amount of appeals, it tells me there's something wrong," Castellon said.

"People are understandably angry, Because their assessed values went up so high. So did mine," said County Councilmember Joe Thomas. "They don't understand what's going on or why is there such a big difference from last year to this year. They needed to talk to the assessor and their staff, face-to-face, to get some answers."

Staff from the assessor's office was on-site to adjust homeowners' assessments.

Castellon told the crowd their property values spiked because of a shortage in housing, some actual errors that need to be corrected, the state adjusting its cost tables for inflation, and, of course, all the incoming development.

"Unfortunately for New Carlisle, I think it hyper-inflates the value. Because that's not what they wanted," Castellon said. "They wanted that hometown, and here they are, you know, they have all this economic development coming. And unfortunately, it's changing values."

Many neighbors are extremely upset. Plenty saw their property tax assessments spike tens of thousands of dollars from one year to the next, seemingly for no rhyme or reason. That results in hundreds of extra dollars in property taxes they now have to pay.

"We have older folks who are on fixed incomes, their budget is what it is, that's their retirement. And houses they own, they're getting forced out of, because the property taxes are too much," said Mike Skaggs, Stone Oaks Estates neighbor and president of the homeowner's association.

Castellon also attributed the lack of communication to the "mess" he inherited in 2022.

Over three years, he says, he's had to handle 25,000 appeals.

"I think he inherited a disaster when he took over, and you know, I appreciate that he brought his staff to help find some solutions to why people's stuff doubled. And he kind of explained the process, and I think we're going to have to put our pressure downstate," Skaggs said.

"Most of those people move out there, some of them are on fixed income, some are only going to make so much money. And what doesn't change, is i don't see a whole lot of upward mobility in everybody's pay. So this is why it's such an impact," Castellon said. "That's not lost on me."

Castellon held an emergency meeting with his staff Monday morning, addressing many complaints, largely over bad communication from his office, he admits, and also changing how they assess the subdivision.

"It's much easier to say, 'you got so many square foot, this is what it's worth.' That's why i want to go to that methodology," Castellon said.

Thomas, whose district covers this area, says homeowners need to speak up.

"They got to appeal, appeal, appeal," he said. "I think they'll make it right. I really do. But they got to get some face time with the assessor."

Castellon said he's making changes in the assessor's office. For one, a new land study will affect tax assessments across the county. That much-needed big change takes effect next year. He says most homes will see a lower land value next year.

For another, Castellon wants to standardize land assessments to square footage, saying it makes more sense.

Property tax assessment appeals are due June 16.

Starting may first, appeals can be completed online on the St. Joseph County Assessor's Office Engage Portal.

Homeowners 55 and older are eligible for a three-year 2% tax credit.

Applications can be found here.