Some homeowners in the Youbou area are still waiting for responses from the Provincial Assessment Appeal Board on appeals for their properties they made more than a year ago, and point to stalling tactics by BC Assessment as a major reason for the delay.
The homeowners have banded together into the Youbou Flood Zone Group and spokesman Jeff Anderson said the group remains committed to securing fair property assessments from the independent PAAB, the second level of appeal for property assessments in B.C., for homeowners impacted by flood risks in the Youbou area.
“We appreciate the board’s acknowledgement of the urgency to bring this process to a close,” Anderson said.
“Homeowners in Youbou have been waiting far too long for resolution. At this point, we likely won’t know the results until May or June 2025, almost 18 months after the appeal was filed.”
The group is collectively seeking over $1 million in reductions to their property assessments in 2024, which would bring all the original appellants in Youbou to a successful resolution, averaging more than $400,000 in reductions per property.
The efforts of members of the group trace back to 2023 when they emerged as the only remaining appellants from an original cohort of 25 homeowners who had filed appeals with the board after their property values skyrocketed.
While the majority achieved $11 million in property assessment reductions, the properties within Youbou’s flood zone faced unique challenges requiring additional evidence.
Jason Anson, a realtor with eXp Realty who has worked with the homeowners in their appeal efforts, said that by 2024, the other appellants secured an additional $4 million in reductions, further underscoring the inequity faced by this remaining group.
Determined to address these challenges, the group collaborated to highlight the severe flooding issues at the choke point of Sa-Seen-Os Road.
Anson said their appeals relied on a robust package of evidence prepared with the assistance of surveyors, appraisers, contractors, and other professionals.
“The process required significant financial and logistical effort, with the group collectively investing over $10,000 to meet the burden of proof,” he said.
“After a year of waiting, the board issued its final extension to BCA, a decision the homeowners see as overdue. However, the board also noted the group’s own extension requests, which were necessary to coordinate professional evidence in a system that places the burden of proof squarely on homeowners.”
Group member Andy Ross said BCA assured the appealing homeowners early in the process that the assessment agency would engage with the group to explore a settlement.
“Instead, they failed to follow through and opted to move directly to written submissions,” he said. “Their repeated extension requests show a lack of preparation, and to date, they have not provided evidence to justify their assessment values.”
Anson said these delays highlight systemic challenges in the appeal process.
“Homeowners are expected to provide extensive evidence, but finding professionals willing to participate in a tribunal process is difficult,” he said.
“This systemic issue, combined with stonewalling tactics from BCA, makes it nearly impossible for homeowners to succeed.”
Anson said even the board is getting frustrated with BCA’s lack of preparedness in dealing with appeals.
He pointed to a recent response by the board to an extension request from a BCA assessor on an appeal of the property of a group member for one month, from Jan. 27 to Feb. 27, 2025, citing the volume of evidence provided by the appellants.
“The assessor has had over six months to prepare their written submissions; thus, the additional request for time solely to prepare a reply is disappointing,” the board said in response to the extension request.
This frustration echoes among the group, who argue that BCA’s actions undermine confidence in the process.
Anderson noted an instance from 2023 when BCA staff inspected more than 150 homes in Youbou, but declined to enter his house despite an invitation to review interior deficiencies.
“We were left to shoulder the burden of proof by hiring additional professionals to document these deficiencies,” he said.
A statement from BC Assessment said that, out of respect for the formal property assessment appeal process and the need to maintain integrity of the process, BCA cannot comment publicly on active appeals.
