Bernalillo, Fulton and Kaua’i Counties to implement Esri Canada’s desktop review solution for more accurate and efficient property assessments

TORONTO – January 14, 2016 – Esri Canada today announced that the Counties of Fulton, Bernalillo and Kaua’i in the United States have signed agreements to deploy the company’s Assessment Analyst solution. The technology enables assessors to leverage advanced spatial modelling, visualization and analytical tools to conduct mass property appraisals from their desktop. This reduces the need for onsite inspections while enabling them to comply with desktop review standards set by the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO).

“Many assessment jurisdictions lack the resources to conduct regular physical inspections of every property,” noted Michael Lomax, director, Assessment, Esri Canada. “This results in outdated property data and missed tax revenue that could otherwise be used to support various service programs for citizens. We’re seeing a growing number of counties adopt Assessment Analyst to increase the speed and accuracy of property assessments, and ensure equitable tax distribution.”

Based on ArcGIS, Esri’s geographic information system (GIS) platform, Assessment Analyst turns a traditional Computer-Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) system into a powerful Geographic-Assisted Mass Appraisal (GAMA) system by incorporating location-based tools for data collection, audits, maintenance, updates and spatial analysis. It allows assessors to view and modify CAMA data, building sketches, imagery, street front photos and analytics simultaneously to obtain a clear view of properties and surrounding infrastructure—producing more accurate assessments. 

Fulton County, Georgia
It has been more than 25 years since Fulton County conducted a door-to-door review of its 325,000 residential properties. During this period, the real estate market experienced the greatest increase and sudden decline in history. To complete a review of all properties and ensure they reflect current values, the county piloted Assessment Analyst in March 2015. About 18,000 parcels were reviewed, with an average return of $64 in taxes per parcel for a total of $1.152 million.

“Assessment Analyst provides the fastest and most accurate way to discover property additions and improvements,” remarked David Fitzgibbon, Chief Appraiser, Fulton County. “It processes vast amounts of data and generates reports at a speed and accuracy unmatched by any other product we’ve evaluated. The service and support we’ve received from Esri Canada has also been exceptional; they’re the best group we’ve worked with on any project.”

Bernalillo County, New Mexico
With 15 field data collectors dedicated to its countywide canvass project, Bernalillo County inspects approximately 25,000 properties per year. The county has not conducted a full canvass of its 250,000 residential properties in more than 15 years. To complete a countywide revaluation of properties, the county will deploy Assessment Analyst in February.

“Assessment Analyst allows our appraisers and field data collectors to ‘touch’ every single property in the county and quickly verify the accuracy of property features recorded in our CAMA system,” said Tanya Giddings, Assessor, Bernalillo County. “It’s an efficient and cost-effective desktop review solution that will enable us to assess 250,000 properties over the next three years, while meeting IAAO standards for physically visiting a property every four to six years.”

County of Kaua’i, Hawaii
The County of Kaua’i began piloting Assessment Analyst in May 2015 to review approximately 3,600 residential properties. Over the next five years, the county will review up to 20,000 properties using the solution.

“Limited staff presents a challenge to uniformly canvas residential properties in our county,” said Steven Hunt, real property tax manager, County of Kaua’i. “Assessment Analyst provides an efficient means for us to systematically review all residential records using existing imagery and GIS maps. As well, it helps us comply with IAAO standards for property review without adding staff.”

To learn more about Assessment Analyst, visit esri.ca/assessmentanalyst.

About Esri Canada
Founded in 1984, Esri Canada provides enterprise geographic information system (GIS) solutions that empower businesses, governments and educational institutions to make timely, informed and mission-critical decisions by leveraging the power of geography. The company distributes the world's leading GIS software from Esri, Schneider Electric, Cityworks–Azteca Systems, Inc. and other technology partners. Headquartered in Toronto, the company serves over 10,000 customers from 16 regional offices across Canada. Esri Canada has joined the elite rank of Canada’s Best Managed companies and has been named to the Branham300. Information about the company can be found at esri.ca. Follow Esri Canada on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. 

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Fulton County:
David Fitzgibbon,
Chief Appraiser,
Email Contact

Bernalillo County:
Tia Bland,
Communication Services Director,
Email Contact

County of Kaua’i:
Mary Daubert,
Public Information Officer,
mdaubert@kauai.gov

Esri Canada:
Email Contact