Chicago Man Fights Back As His Property Tax Jumped From $1,800 to $30,000 in 2024

As inflation continues to bother many people across the country, another serious issue is occurring with housing. Not only are houses now on the market for unbelievable prices but people are also getting taxed an arm and a leg for homes they already own.

A man in Chicago, Illinois, has come forward to complain about this after getting an incredibly high tax bill of $30,000 for no good reason.

Danny Lloyd’s House

Danny Lloyd lives in an unincorporated suburban community in Chicago, Illinois. He bought his beautiful 1950s home in 2006. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom house was valued at $115,000 when he bought it, and today, its market value is just a bit above $180,000.

Over the years, his tax payment quotation has varied by a small margin until this year’s shocking situation.

The Huge Change in Value

Everything was going fine for Llyod in Cook County until its officials valued his home in 2024. After completing the valuation process, Cook County officials valued his humble property at a whopping $1 million!

Understandably, this was a huge shock to Llyod, who did not see how his house, recently valued at $180,000, was suddenly worth $1 million. This estimation seemed wrong, and Lloyd simply could not wrap his head around it.

A Simultaneous Change in Taxes

As expected, a change in the value of a property automatically signifies a change in the taxes that would be paid to the government. A rise in valuation will cause a spike in taxes, and a reduction will also cause the taxes to go down.

According to a FOX 32 report, $1 million, his taxes skyrocketed from $1800 last year to $30,000. This also means that the county’s officials increased his tax bill by a staggering 3,811 percent compared to what it was when he initially bought it.

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Llyod’s Disappointment

Understandably, Llyod was disappointed and distraught when he got the increased bill, believing it was an unfair assessment and raise. “I was literally devastated when I saw that increase,” he said.

“I see 960 square feet. I don’t have a second floor. I don’t have a basement.” So, how is his property worth a whole $1 million when it is just a simple bungalow with no excessive structuring?

The County Is Not Expensive

In addition, the county is not an area with many expensive properties or attractions that could have raised the house’s value. The properties there are modest, just like Llyod’s bungalow, and do not have extravagant structures.

“Nothing over here is worth … $1 million,” he complained to FOX 32. “I will have to move in with a relative or something. You know, I can’t afford it,” he added.

Llyod Decided to Fight

Before accepting defeat and moving out of his beloved home, Llyod decided to fight for his house. He was almost sure there had been some error during the valuation process, so he went to the Cook County Tax Assessor’s Office to ask for assistance and clarification.

He was determined to fight for his house and hoped they would listen to him and see that some error had caused it to be valued so high.

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A Fruitless Attempt

Llyod’s attempt to reason with the Cook County Tax Assessor’s Office and understand why his taxes had skyrocketed proved fruitless. “I showed them my taxes, and I told them that I had a substantial increase, and they were like, “everybody’s taxes increase,” Lloyd told FOX 32.

They barely listened to his complaints and quickly dismissed him from the office. Sad and defeated, he returned home, thinking he would lose his home.

Lack of Responsibility

In one last effort to save his house, Llyod contacted Chicago’s local FOX affiliate, FOX 32. After hearing his story, the news company contacted the tax assessor’s office on Llyod’s behalf.

Only at this point did the office admit to its faulty assessment of the house. Before this, they had shown a total lack of responsibility by barely responding to Llyod’s complaints and worries even after he went to the office physically.

The Tax Assessor’s Office’s Statement

An office representative spoke to FOX 32 and gave an adequate statement. They said, “This property was given an incorrect assessment due to a permit that was unintentionally applied to the property.

We will process a corrected tax bill for this property in the coming weeks, ensuring that the homeowner will ultimately pay the right amount in property taxes.” While this is good, they still have not given a definite date for this correction.

Are There Other Victims?

The office only properly acknowledged Llyod’s complaints after FOX 32 reached out to them. Therefore, it made Llyod and many others wonder if many more people with similar cases have been brushed aside.

Many people would not be so lucky to have a reputable news company to fight on their behalf, and this is a massive cause for concern. “If it happened to me, it probably happened to other people. I’d like to see immediate action,” Llyod said.

Over 4,400 Properties Valued Wrongly

Llyod’s assumption was spot on, as FOX 32 reported that the Cook County Treasurer’s Office has been making serious errors while valuing homes. The office produced an analysis finding that the county assessor miscalculated land values for more than 4,400 homes in Chicago’s south and southwest suburbs.

Therefore, thousands of families have been affected, like Llyod, and this needs to be stopped. The office will now try to correct its errors and give out certificates of error to those affected.

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