City Council President Patrick Keefe said that the assessment from the tax collector’s office on homes doesn’t always correlate with the use as defined in the Building Department’s Office.
Keefe said he would like to see a collaboration between the Assessor’s Office and the Building Department “because there are many cases in the city where a home is assessed as a two-family, but in the Building Department as a one-family.â€
“This situation exists more often in single-and-two-family homes, typically homes that were built without all the proper building permits to have a legal in-law or legal accessory dwelling,†said Keefe. “Now as the homes are getting sold, these homeowners are finding that they cannot legally sell it as a two-family, because it’s not on the books as a two-family and it triggers an issue with the Fire Department because they can’t issue a smoke detector’s certificate if the house has not been legitimized.â€
Assessor Dana Brangiforte and Building Commissioner Louis Cavagnaro joined Keefe and the Council in discussing the issue at the City Council meeting Monday night.
“It’s going to take a long time – I’m not expecting this to change overnight and be fixed in a year or two,†said Keefe. “It’s going to take years. The sooner we can coordinate this, it will be beneficial for everybody. Some homeowners will have to spend money to legitimize their homes, but rather than having to deal with it years later upon the sale of their home, I think it will create less confusion and make the residents of Revere a little happier if we begin the process now. There will be a lot more consistency in the process. It’s very confusing to sell your home and your tax bill says it’s appraised as a two-family and you go to sell it, and you’re told it’s a one-family because that’s what the Building Department has listed.â€
The Council approved Keefe’s motion that Mayor Brian Arrigo request the Assessor’s Office to coordinate with the Building Department relative to home assessments.