The Appeal Process

Step One

Appeal to the Assessors Review Board, either in person or by writing a letter.

If You Appeal In Person:
You may go to the Assessor's Office in person to appeal your assessment.

February 1-15, Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Assessor's Office 
Room 804, Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Avenue

In Room 804, request form "Petition to City of Detroit 2010 Assessors Review". When you have completed it, you will be sent to Room 805 to meet with an assessor, who will hear your case on the spot.

**Even if you appear in person to protest, taking a letter to submit is advised. This gives you a chance to set out your case carefully and in full before arriving there.

If You Appeal By Letter:
Address the letter to:

Assessors Review
Room 804 Coleman A. Young Municipal Building
2 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226

The letter must be postmarked by February 15.

Include the Property Identification 

This information is in the upper right hand corner of the "Notice".
There is a number on the same line as the property address.
Below that is a detailed legal description of the property.
Include ALL of it verbatim.

Be sure to identify yourself as the person on the Assessment Roll (i.e., the person to whom the "Notice" is addressed.)

See a Sample Letter MS Word | Text file
Use this sample to structure your own letter. 
However, use your own words, and make your own case.

Step Two

The City Assessors Review in Step One is expected to deny virtually all requests, although sometimes an argument based on "obsolescence" will work. 

The next step is to appeal to the March Review Board. In the letter from the Assessor's Office, you will be given a date and time to present your case to the March Board of Review.

You must appear in person to present your case.

Step 3

The March Review Board in Step Two also is expected to deny virtually all requests.

If you do not agree with the Board of Review's determination, you may appeal to the State of Michigan Tribunal prior to June 30, 2010. Here is where you have a better chance. Your goal is to get your appeal to this stage. 

If the March Review Board denies your appeal, you will receive instructions about how to appeal to the Tribunal.