New Orleans isn't like other cities. We have potholes that could swallow a subcompact car and a festival for literally everything, but when property tax season rolls around, the vibe gets tense. Fast. Most people think the Orleans Parish Tax Assessor is just a person in a suit sending out bills to make life harder. That's not really how it works. In reality, the Assessor’s office is a data-crunching machine that determines the "fair market value" of every shotgun house, Garden District mansion, and Gentilly bungalow in the city.
The bill you actually pay? That’s a mix of the Assessor's valuation and the "millage rates" set by the City Council, the School Board, and various other agencies. If your bill skyrocketed last year, it might not even be because your house value went up. It might be because a new bond passed. Or maybe the Quadrennial Reassessment hit.
How Erroll Williams and the Reassessment Cycle Actually Work
Since 2011, Erroll G. Williams has been the guy at the top. Before him, New Orleans had seven different assessors—one for each municipal district. It was a mess. It was inefficient, prone to favoritism, and confusing as hell. Now, it’s a single office.
Every four years, Louisiana law requires a full reassessment of all property. This is the big one. The office looks at "comparable sales" in your specific neighborhood. If your neighbor sold their renovated Creole Cottage for a fortune, the Orleans Parish Tax Assessor assumes your house is worth more, too. Even if you haven't touched a paint brush in twenty years.
This creates a massive "sticker shock" effect. People see a 30% or 40% jump in their assessment and panic. But here is the thing: the assessment is just an estimate. It's often wrong. These guys are looking at thousands of properties; they aren't coming inside your house to see the termite damage or the leaky roof that’s dragging your actual value down.
The Assessment Math You Need to Know
In Orleans Parish, residential property is assessed at 10% of its fair market value. Commercial property is 15%.
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Let's say the Orleans Parish Tax Assessor decides your home is worth $300,000.
Your "Assessed Value" is $30,000.
But you don't pay tax on that full $30,000.
Most homeowners in New Orleans qualify for the Homestead Exemption. This is huge. It basically knocks the first $75,000 of market value off the table. In assessed value terms, that’s a $7,500 credit. So, instead of paying taxes on $30,000, you're paying on $22,500.
Why your neighbor pays less than you
It’s annoying, right? You both have the same floor plan. You both have the same sized lot. Yet, their bill is $1,200 cheaper.
There are "freezes." If you are over 65, or if you have a certain level of disability, or if you are the surviving spouse of a member of the armed forces or a first responder killed in action, you can "freeze" your assessed value. Your house can go up in value every year, but your assessment stays locked in. You still have to pay if the millage rates go up, but the base number stays the same. Honestly, if you qualify for this and haven't applied, you're just handing money to the city for no reason.
The "Open Rolls" Period: Your One Real Window
Every year, usually in late summer (August), the Orleans Parish Tax Assessor opens the books. This is called the "Open Rolls" period. It usually lasts about 15 days.
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This is your only chance to complain.
If you miss this window, you’re stuck with whatever number they gave you for the next year. You can’t just call them in December and say "hey, my house isn't worth this." They will tell you to come back next August.
When you go to dispute your assessment, don't just show up and say "taxes are too high." They don't care. Everybody thinks taxes are too high. You need evidence. You need a recent appraisal, or photos of structural damage, or a list of "comps" (comparable sales) that show houses like yours are selling for less than what the assessor thinks.
The Appeal Process Hierarchy
- Informal Discussion: You talk to a deputy assessor during Open Rolls. Sometimes they see your photos and fix it right there.
- Board of Review: If the assessor says no, you appeal to the Orleans Parish Council sitting as the Board of Review.
- Louisiana Tax Commission: If the Council says no, you go to the state level.
People actually win these appeals. Quite often, actually. The office knows their mass-appraisal system isn't perfect.
Common Myths About the Assessor's Office
"The Assessor raises my taxes to fund the city." No. Technically, the Assessor doesn't set the tax rate. They just value the property. The City Council and other taxing bodies decide how many "mills" to charge based on that value. If the total assessment for the whole city goes up, the state constitution actually requires "rolling back" the millage rates so the city doesn't get a giant windfall—unless the Council votes to "roll them forward" again. Which, let’s be real, they usually do.
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"They'll know I renovated my kitchen." Kinda. If you pulled a permit with City Hall, the Orleans Parish Tax Assessor will eventually find out. They track building permits. If you did an unpermitted renovation? They might not know until the next time the house is sold or if they do a drive-by and see a new addition.
"The Homestead Exemption is automatic." Big nope. You have to go down to City Hall (or their satellite offices) with your ID and proof of residency to claim it. You only have to do it once as long as you live there, but if you just bought a house, make sure the previous owner’s exemption didn't just get wiped out.
Short-Term Rentals and the Tax Man
This has become a massive headache in New Orleans. If you own a property that is strictly a Short-Term Rental (STR), the Orleans Parish Tax Assessor is looking at you differently now. Properties that are purely commercial in use can sometimes lose that residential 10% assessment rate or lose their Homestead Exemption. The city is getting much tighter on cross-referencing STR licenses with tax records. If you’re caught claiming a Homestead Exemption on a house you’re actually renting out on Airbnb full-time, expect a massive back-tax bill and some uncomfortable penalties.
Actionable Steps for New Orleans Property Owners
Don't wait for the bill to arrive in the mail in December. By then, it’s too late to change anything.
- Check your current assessment online. Go to the official website for the Orleans Parish Tax Assessor. Search by your address. Look at the "Land Value" vs. "Improvement Value."
- Verify your exemptions. Does it show the $7,500 Homestead Exemption? If you’re 65+, does it show your freeze? If not, gather your tax returns and ID and head to the 4th floor of City Hall.
- Document everything. If your foundation is cracked or your roof is 30 years old, take photos. Get a contractor's estimate for the repairs. Keep this in a folder. When August rolls around, this is your ammunition for a lower assessment.
- Watch the news in July. That’s when the dates for the Open Rolls are announced. Put them in your calendar with an alert.
- Compare your "Market Value" to Zillow. If the Assessor says your house is worth $450,000 but Zillow and Redfin say $380,000, you have a very strong case for an appeal. The Assessor’s office actually takes these third-party sites into consideration during informal protests, though a formal appraisal is always better.
The system is bureaucratic and slow, but it isn't a brick wall. Most homeowners pay more than they should simply because they don't bother to check the math or show up during the two-week protest window. New Orleans is expensive enough; don't pay for "value" that your house doesn't actually have.