Community Facilities Districts
Some jurisdictions have passed legislation that creates community facilities districts and permits them to levy a special tax to fund the capital costs of a wide variety of public improvements, as well as the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of a limited number of public services. Proceeds from the special tax are used to support the sale of tax-exempt bonds for the various capital improvements that are allowed under the legislation, including but not limited to, roads, sewer services, schools, police and fire protection services, and libraries.
The assessment that will be used to repay the tax-exempt bonds becomes an ongoing responsibility of the property owner, similar to state and local property taxes. The assessment lien and the obligation to pay the assessment passes with the title to the property when ownership of the property is transferred.
Such legislation generally requires full disclosure of the special assessment to any purchaser of a property located in a community facilities district. Therefore, a lender originating mortgages in community facilities districts should disclose to the appraiser any information that it becomes aware of regarding special assessments on a given property.
Appraisal Requirements for Properties Located in Community Facilities Districts
Appraisers must be aware of whether the subject property and the comparables are located within or affected by a community facilities district because properties subject to an assessment by one of these districts often compete against properties that are either subject to a significantly different assessment or no assessment at all. Appraisers must consider the reaction of the market, if any, to the assessment for the applicable community facilities district by analyzing similarly affected comparable sales in his or her analysis, and should note the effect of the assessment in the appraisal report.
See B4-1.4-09, Special Assessment or Community Facilities Districts Appraisal Requirements for additional information.