River Roads Senior LP v. Jake Zimmerman, Assessor St Louis County

January 26th, 2016

State Tax Commission of Missouri

 

RIVER ROADS SENIOR, )  
  )  
Complainant, )  
  )  
v. ) Appeal Numbers 13-13039
  )  
JAKE ZIMMERMAN, ASSESSOR, )  
ST LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI, )  
  )  
Respondent. )  

 

DECISION AND ORDER

 

HOLDING

 

Decision of the County Board of Equalization sustaining the assessment made by the Assessor is SET ASIDE. Complainant presented substantial and persuasive evidence to rebut the presumption of correct assessment by the Board of Equalization. True value in money for the subject property for tax years 2013 and 2014 is set at $3,623,900, residential assessed value of $688,540.

Complainant appeared by counsel Richard Dvorak.

Respondent appeared by counsel Ed Corrigan.

Case heard and decided by Hearing Officer Maureen Monaghan.

ISSUE

            Complainant appeals, on the ground of overvaluation, the decision of the St. Louis County Board of Equalization, which reduced the valuation of the subject property.  The Commission takes this appeal to determine the true value in money for the subject property on January 1, 2013.  The value as of January 1 of the odd numbered year remains the value as of January 1 of the following even numbered year unless there is new construction and improvement to the property. Section 137.115.1 RSMo

 

The Hearing Officer, having considered all of the competent evidence upon the whole record, enters the following Decision and Order.

FINDINGS OF FACT

  1. Jurisdiction. Jurisdiction over this appeal is proper.  Complainant timely appealed to the State Tax Commission from the decision of the St. Louis County Board of Equalization.
  2. Evidentiary Hearing. The parties waived Evidentiary Hearing.
  3. Identification of Subject Property. The subject property is identified by map parcel number 13F531098, further identified as 2380 Grand River Road, St. Louis County, Missouri.
  4. Description of Subject Property. The subject property consists of a 2.92 acre tract of land improved by a three story, 77,400 square foot apartment building. It was constructed in 2007.  It has 94 units and 54,814 square feet of rentable area.  It is a low income housing, tax credit (LIHTC) project for seniors.  82 of the units are one bedroom and 12 are two bedroom units.  The property is 100% occupied.  The property is subject to a land use restriction agreement (LURA) and the Missouri Housing Development Corporation sets the allowable rental rates.  The one bedroom units rent for $530 per month and the two bedroom rent for $637 per unit.  The actual net operating income from 2010 to 2012 was $309,525, $315,063 and $323,311 respectively.  The average cap rate for the market was 8.72%.
  5. Assessment. The Assessor appraised the property at $5,229,900, an assessed residential value of $993,660.  The Board of Equalization reduced the true value to $3,760,000, an assessed residential value of $714,400.
  6. Complainant’s Evidence. The Complainant submitted Exhibit A – Appraisal Report – and Exhibit B – Written Direct Testimony of general certified appraiser Kenneth Jaggers.  The appraiser developed the sales comparison and income approaches to value.  The appraiser concluded an opinion of value of $2,800,000.
  7. No Evidence of New Construction & Improvement. There was no evidence of new construction and improvement from January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2014, therefore the assessed value for 2013 remains the assessed value for 2014.  Section 137.115.1, RSMo. 
  8. Respondent’s Evidence. Respondent submitted Exhibit 1 (a list of qualifications of William Budde), Exhibit 2 (the written direct testimony of Mr. Budde), and Exhibit 3 (appraisal review report).  No objection was filed and therefore the exhibits were admitted.  Mr. Budde reviewed Exhibit A – appraisal report. The reviewer critiques the appraiser’s approaches to value in that the report failed to provide market support for such items as adjustments in the sales comparison approach and such is well taken.
  9. Presumption of Correct Assessment Rebutted. Complainant’s evidence was substantial and persuasive to rebut the presumption of correct assessment by the Board and establish the true value in money as of January 1, 2013, to be $3,623,900.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND DECISION

Jurisdiction

The Commission has jurisdiction to hear this appeal and correct any assessment which is shown to be unlawful, unfair, arbitrary or capricious. The Hearing Officer shall issue a decision and order affirming, modifying or reversing the determination of the board of equalization, and correcting any assessment which is unlawful, unfair, improper, arbitrary, or capricious.  Article X, Section 14, Mo. Const. of 1945; Sections 138.430, 138.431, 138.431.4, RSMo.

Basis of Assessment

            The Constitution mandates that real property and tangible personal property be assessed at its value or such percentage of its value as may be fixed by law for each class and for each subclass.  Article X, Sections 4(a) and 4(b), Mo. Const. of 1945.   The constitutional mandate is to find the true value in money for the property under appeal.  By statute real and tangible personal property are assessed at set percentages of true value in money. Section 137.115.5, RSMo – residential property at 19% of true value in money; commercial property at 32% of true value in money and agricultural property at 12% of true value in money.

Presumption In Appeal

            There is a presumption of validity, good faith and correctness of assessment by the County Board of Equalization.  Hermel, Inc. v. STC, 564 S.W.2d 888, 895 (Mo. banc 1978); Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Co. v. STC, 436 S.W.2d 650, 656 (Mo. 1968); May Department Stores Co. v. STC, 308 S.W.2d 748, 759 (Mo. 1958). The presumption of correct assessment is rebutted when the taxpayer presents substantial and persuasive evidence to establish that the Board’s valuation is erroneous and what the fair market value should have been placed on the property. Hermel, supra; Cupples-Hesse Corporation v. State Tax Commission, 329 S.W.2d 696, 702 (Mo. 1959).

Substantial evidence can be defined as such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion. See, Cupples-Hesse, supra.  Persuasive evidence is that evidence which has sufficient weight and probative value to convince the trier of fact.  The persuasiveness of evidence does not depend on the quantity or amount thereof but on its effect in inducing belief. Brooks v. General Motors Assembly Division, 527 S.W.2d 50, 53 (Mo. App. 1975).

Upon presentation of the Complainant’s evidence, the presumption in this appeal disappeared. The submission of the appraisal report, performed by a state certified real estate appraiser, established the Board’s value was in error.  The appraisal established what the fair market value that should have been placed on the property.  No evidence was presented that rebutted the conclusion of value in Complainant’s appraisal.

Complainants’ Burden of Proof

 

In order to prevail, Complainants must present an opinion of market value and substantial and persuasive evidence that the proposed value is indicative of the market value of the subject property on January 1, 2013. Hermel, supra. There is no presumption that the taxpayer’s opinion is correct. The taxpayer in a Commission appeal still bears the burden of proof.  The taxpayer is the moving party seeking affirmative relief.   Therefore, the Complainant bears the burden of proving the vital elements of the case, i.e., the assessment was “unlawful, unfair, improper, arbitrary or capricious.” See, Westwood Partnership v. Gogarty, 103 S.W.3d 152 (Mo. App. E.D. 2003); Daly v. P. D. George Co., 77 S.W.3d 645 (Mo. App. E.D. 2002); Reeves v. Snider, 115 S.W.3d 375 (Mo. App. S.D. 2003); Industrial Development Authority of Kansas City v. State Tax Commission of Missouri, 804 S.W.2d 387, 392 (Mo. App. 1991).  A valuation which does not reflect the fair market value (true value in money) of the property under appeal is an unlawful, unfair and improper assessment.

Standard for Valuation

            Section 137.115, RSMo, requires that property be assessed based upon its true value in money which is defined as the price a property would bring when offered for sale by one willing or desirous to sell and bought by one who is willing or desirous to purchase but who is not compelled to do so. St. Joe Minerals Corp. v. State Tax Commission, 854 S.W.2d 526, 529 (Mo. App. E.D. 1993); Missouri Baptist Children’s Home v. State Tax Commission, 867 S.W.2d 510, 512 (Mo. banc 1993).  True value in money is defined in terms of value in exchange and not value in use. Daly v. P. D. George Company, et al, 77 S.W.3d 645, 649 (Mo. App E.D. 2002), citing, Equitable Life Assurance Society v. STC, 852 S.W.2d 376, 380 (Mo. App. 1993); citing, Stephen & Stephen Properties, Inc. v. STC, 499 S.W.2d 798, 801-803 (Mo. 1973).

Methods of Valuation

            Proper methods of valuation and assessment of property are delegated to the Commission.  It is within the purview of the Hearing Officer to determine the method of valuation to be adopted in a given case.   See, Nance v. STC, 18 S.W.3d 611, at 615 (Mo. App. W.D. 2000); Hermel, supra; Xerox Corp. v. STC, 529 S.W.2d 413 (Mo. banc 1975).  Missouri courts have approved the comparable sales or market approach, the cost approach and the income approach as recognized methods of arriving at fair market value.   St. Joe Minerals Corp. v. STC, 854 S.W.2d 526, 529 (App. E.D. 1993); Aspenhof Corp. v. STC, 789 S.W.2d 867, 869 (App. E.D. 1990); Quincy Soybean Company, Inc., v. Lowe, 773 S.W.2d 503, 504 (App. E.D. 1989), citing Del-Mar Redevelopment Corp v. Associated Garages, Inc., 726 S.W.2d 866, 869 (App. E.D. 1987); and State ex rel. State Highway Comm’n v. Southern Dev. Co., 509 S.W.2d 18, 27 (Mo. Div. 2 1974).

Subsidized Housing

            In the past, when valuing subsidized housing, the State Tax Commission has attempted to look at actual income, actual expenses, financing terms and market capitalization rates in order to try to account for risks and benefits associated with this unique type of real property, recognizing that subsidized properties do not tend to sell and costs tend to be inflated, making sales and cost approaches difficult.

The income approach determines value by estimating the present worth of what an owner will likely receive in the future as income from the property.  The income approach is based on an evaluation of what a willing buyer would pay to realize the income stream that could be obtained from the property when devoted to its highest and best use. For ad valorem purposes, the property should be valued using actual rents and expenses and looking to the market to develop a capitalization rate. The legislature has given us specific direction on the issue of valuing subsidized property – Section 137.076.2 RSMo. (2015):

  1. In establishing the value of a parcel of real property, the county assessor shall use an income based approach for assessment of parcels of real property with federal or state imposed restrictions in regard to rent limitations, operations requirements, or any other restrictions imposed upon the property in connection with:

 

                        (1)  The property being eligible for any income tax credits under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

 

                        (2)  Property constructed with the use of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME investment    

                                partnerships program;

 

                        (3)  Property constructed with the use of incentives provided by the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development; or

 

                        (4)  Property receiving any other state or federal subsidies provided with respect to the use of the property for housing purposes.

 

For the purposes of this subsection, the term “income based approach” shall include the use of direct capitalization methodology and computed by dividing the net operating income of the parcel of property by an appropriate capitalization rate not to exceed the average of the current market data available in the county of said parcel of property. Federal and state tax credits or other subsidies shall not be used when calculating the capitalization rate.  Upon expiration of a land use restriction agreement, such parcel of property shall no longer be subject to this subsection.

 

The Complainant’s appraisal provides sufficient information to determine value utilizing the property’s actual net income ($316,000 average from 2010 – 2012) and average market capitalization rate (8.72%).  The indication of value is $3,623,900.

 

ORDER

The assessed valuation for the subject property as determined by the Assessor and sustained by the Board of Equalization for St. Louis County for the subject tax day is SET ASIDE.

The assessed value for the subject property for tax years 2013 and 2014 is set at $688,540

Application for Review

A party may file with the Commission an application for review of this decision within thirty days of the mailing date set forth in the Certificate of Service for this Decision. The application shall contain specific facts or law as grounds upon which it is claimed the decision is erroneous.  Said application must be in writing addressed to the State Tax Commission of Missouri, P.O. Box 146, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0146, and a copy of said application must be sent to each person at the address listed below in the certificate of service.

          Failure to state specific facts or law upon which the application for review is based will result in summary denial. Section 138.432, RSMo

Disputed Taxes

The Collector of St. Louis County, as well as the collectors of all affected political subdivisions therein, shall continue to hold the disputed taxes pending the possible filing of an Application for Review, unless said taxes have been disbursed pursuant to a court order under the provisions of Section 139.031.8, RSMo.

Any Finding of Fact which is a Conclusion of Law or Decision shall be so deemed. Any Decision which is a Finding of Fact or Conclusion of Law shall be so deemed.

SO ORDERED this 26th day of January, 2016.

STATE TAX COMMISSION OF MISSOURI

Maureen Monaghan

Hearing Officer

 

 

Certificate of Service

I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing has been sent electronically or mailed postage prepaid this 26th day of January, 2016, to: Complainants(s) counsel and/or Complainant, the county Assessor and/or Counsel for Respondent and county Collector.

 

Jacklyn Wood

Legal Coordinator