Assessor's Office

2022 december board pictureBEST WISHES FOR A 

WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!


 



John Hodgson, Board Member; Joanne Cranford, Board Member; Joanie Barnett, Assessor; Jeff Wagar, Board Member

Department Hours

The normal business hours for the Assessor's office are Monday through Friday between 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. The Assessor's Office may be closed due to meetings, staffing levels, or necessary fieldwork.  Please call ahead to confirm availability (734)675-6810. 

Responsibilities of the Assessor

The Assessor's goal is to provide fair and equitable assessments to the taxpayers. Michigan Certified Assessing Officers are required to annually prepare and certify the assessment roll for the City in accordance with the General Property Tax Act and are responsible for the administration of the General Property Tax Laws.

Michigan Compiled Law (MCL) 211.10d(9)  Supervising Preparation of the Assessment Roll

The Assessor and staff must complete several tasks that provide our residents with an accurate and defined assessment of their properties. The following is an overview of the responsibilities of the Assessor’s Office and are not limited to the following:Done Editing

  • Locate, identify, record, and establish the true cash value, assessed and taxable values of all real property subject to taxation.
  • Certified by the State of Michigan as a Personal Property Examiner to establish the taxable values on all taxable personal property.
  • Maintain descriptions of the property.
  • Use appropriate appraisal techniques (cost approach, market approach, and also the income approach).
  • Assessment Roll must be prepared on or before the first Monday in March to be presented to the Board of Review by the Tuesday following the first Monday in March (MCL 211.30).
  • Notification of assessment increases must be prepared and sent to taxpayers 10 days prior to the first Board of Review meeting (MCL 211.30).
  • Assessments often must be defended before the Michigan Tax Tribunal.
  • Affidavits for Principal Residence Exemption (which exempt certain properties from paying the 18 mills of school operating taxes) (exemptions granted or denied by the assessor by determining eligibility for claims) and Property Transfers must be processed.
  • Required to preserve and keep all books, assessment rolls, and other papers belonging to the office and comply with State Statutes and the Michigan Township Record Retention Schedule Number 10.
  • Must maintain records relevant to the assessments, including appraisal record cards, personal property records, historical assessment data, Tax Maps, and Land Value Maps consistent with the standards found in the Assessor’s Manual approved by the State Tax Commission. (MCL 41.62)
  • File numerous mandated forms and reports with the County Equalization Department, the State Tax Commission, and the Michigan Department of Treasury.
  • Respond to all information requests from the public.
  • Present annual department budget requirements and other reports to the City Council.

Michigan Compiled Law (MCL) 211.27a(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the property shall be assessed at 50% of its true cash value under section 3 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963.

Field Sheet / Record Cards / Property Sales

Record card/field sheets with building and improvement sketches for Residential, Commercial, and Industrial parcels and Property Sales are available in the Assessor’s Office to view during normal business hours.  Click the BS&A link to view online www.BS&A ONLINE Property information


 property search picture                                      plat map picture Opens in new window


Home Improvements & Your Property Taxes

Michigan's Mathieu-Gast Home Improvement Act guarantees that the cost of normal repairs and maintenance on your home cannot be considered by an assessor in determining the true cash value of the property until the property is sold. This means your property taxes don't rise with every home improvement.   The following home repairs and improvements cannot be considered for assessment purposes while you own your home. 

  • Outside painting
  • Repairing or replacing siding, roof, porches, steps, sidewalks and drives
  • Repainting, repairing or replacing existing masonry
  • Replacement of awnings
  • Adding or replacing gutters and downspouts
  • Replacing storm windows or doors
  • Insulation or weather-stripping
  • Complete rewiring
  • Replacing plumbing and light fixtures
  • New furnace, replacing a furnace of the same type or replacing oil or gas burner
  • Plaster repairs, inside painting or other redecorating
  • New ceiling, wall or floor surfacing
  • Removing partitions to enlarge rooms
  • Replacing automatic hot water heater
  • Replacing dated interior woodwork
  • Installing, replacing, or repairing an alternative energy system, without regard to ownership of the system, with a generating capacity of not more than 150 kilowatts, the annual energy output of which does not exceed the annual energy consumption measured by the utility-provided electrical meter on the system to which it is connected. As used in this subdivision, “alternative energy system” means that term as defined in section 2 of the Michigan next energy authority act, 2002 PA 593, MCL 207.822.

NOTE: Structural additions are not considered to be normal repairs or maintenance

For More Detailed Information on the Mathieu-Gast Act, see Bulletin No. 7 of 2020 from the Michigan State Tax Commission


Evolution Map of Wayne County

The Evolution Map of Wayne County (PDF) beginning in 1827 was compiled by registered land surveyor Henry T. Kempa.

2023 Land Study Reports

2023 ECF Study Reports

...and last but not least, if you have any suggestions or needs from the Assessor that are not addressed on this page, please reach out to Joanie Barnett (734)675-6810 or email her by clicking here.

  1. City Assessor's Office


    Physical Address
    2800 Third St.
    Trenton, MI 48183

    Mailing Address
    2800 Third Street
    Attn: Assessor's Office
    Trenton, MI 48183

    Fax: 734-675-5262

    Hours
    Monday through Friday
    8:30am - 5pm


  2. Joanie Barnett, MAAO

    City Assessor

  3. Sydney Moya, MCAT

    Deputy Assessor