Anchorage Mayor Orders Review of 'Unusually High' Property Tax Assessments

Municipality plans to issue revised assessments for 660 homes in four neighborhoods after large swings in many assessed home values.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 3:55pm

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In response to a high volume of calls from concerned residents about unusually large increases in their property tax assessments, the mayor of Anchorage has directed the city's assessor's office to review properties with 'unusually high' value increases. As a result, the municipality plans to issue revised assessments for roughly 660 homes in four neighborhoods to ensure the properties reflect fair market value.

Why it matters

The large variations in assessed home values this year have caused significant anxiety among Anchorage residents about the impact on their property taxes. This review aims to address concerns about the assessment methodology changes that led to the dramatic swings in valuations for some properties.

The details

The overall estimated value of single-family homes in Anchorage increased by about 4% from last year, but approximately 10% of residential properties saw much more dramatic swings, with some reporting increases as high as 40%. These changes followed adjustments to the municipality's appraisal methodology, including simplifying how construction quality is assessed and consolidating geographic market areas.

  • On February 1, 2026, Mayor Suzanne LaFrance asked the assessor's office to review properties with 'unusually high' value increases.
  • The municipality plans to issue revised assessments for roughly 660 homes in four neighborhoods: Goldenview Park, Sahalee, Lookout Landing and Leary Bay.
  • The deadline for homeowners to file an appeal on their property assessment is February 11, 2026.

The players

Suzanne LaFrance

The mayor of Anchorage who directed the assessor's office to review properties with unusually high value increases.

Becky Windt Pearson

The municipal manager who told the Anchorage Assembly about the plan to issue revised assessments for 660 homes.

Jack Gadamus

The municipal assessor who surveyed the data for patterns across the municipality and determined the homes chosen for reassessment had been assigned a construction quality grade that was too high.

Bill Falsey

The chief administrative officer who said the division will lower the assessments for the 660 homes to an average of 5% increase.

Erin Baldwin Day

An Anchorage Assembly member who said there is a lot of anxiety among residents about the impact of the increased assessments on their property taxes.

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What they’re saying

“There is a lot of anxiety around how these increased assessments are going to impact what people are going to owe come June.”

— Erin Baldwin Day, Anchorage Assembly member

“We're doing overtime, and we're working through the weekend.”

— Bill Falsey, Chief Administrative Officer

What’s next

The Anchorage Assembly will consider a resolution on Tuesday that calls for a 'systematic reevaluation' of property value assessments in the city.

The takeaway

This review of property tax assessments in Anchorage highlights the challenges municipalities face in keeping up with rapidly changing real estate markets and the need to ensure assessment methodologies are fair and transparent, especially when they result in significant swings in home values for residents.