The South Suburban Housing Center and the Cook County Assessor's Office are hosting a webinar about property taxes on Tuesday, July 9.
Participants will learn about the triannual reassessment cycle, property tax saving exemptions from a Cook County Assessor representative, and engage in a Q&A session.
The webinar follows a study showing that many south and southwest suburban Cook County homeowners are facing record-high property tax increases. It also shows that taxes soared 30% or more in 15 of those suburbs. Of those 15 suburbs, 13 have mostly Black populations, including the Village of Park Forest.
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas released a new analysis that found median tax bills are rising by 19.9% compared with last year, the most significant jump in the previous 29 years.
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Park Forest Mayor Joseph A. Woods called the increases a "catastrophe" for homeowners. Woods told the paper that the Village would continue to work on ways to influence policy changes at the county and state levels while seeking grant funding to avoid having to levy more taxes at the Village level.
The data shows that Park Forest homeowners will see a significant increase. The median residential bill rose by 56% to $7,152.
"We know that there seems to be an unfairness or inequity in regards to the way, you know, properties are assessed," Woods said in an interview with the Tribune last Wednesday. "So we're looking at every option and trying to lobby everyone."
Earlier this year, Park Forest officials held a Zoom meeting with the Cook County Assessor's Office to confront the agency about what Village leaders believe are unfair property value assessments.
As Village leaders continue to work on policy to help homeowners in Park Forest, residents can attend the webinar hosted by the South Suburban Housing Center and the Cook County Assessor's Office to learn more about the reassessment cycle and property tax saving exemptions.