Property Tax Exemptions Face Growing Delays, King County Auditor Finds

KING COUNTY, WA — A new report from the King County Auditor's Office found delays for property tax exemptions doubled after the state expanded eligibility in 2020, and more work needs to be done to ensure residents receive timely service.

The auditor's office released its report Tuesday, finding that seniors and people with disabilities who applied for exemptions typically waited eight months for a decision as demand roughly tripled. While auditors found the county's Department of Assessments made up some ground last year, it did not make enough progress to meaningfully reduce extended wait times. In some cases, the audit determined some changes made problems worse.

"In 2021, DOA boosted its output of exemptions by 70 percent but still did not meet internal targets or timelines communicated to customers," the auditor's office wrote. "DOA increase output by adjusting strategies, adding staff, deferring state-mandated renewals, and reducing outreach and responsiveness to customers. Since higher application volumes are unlikely to go away, DOA will need to find ways to further increase output to improve customer experience."

The auditor found exemption teams lacked proper documentation and training for new procedures and found a general lack of accountability and transparency.

"To meet its goals for prompt and accurate exemptions decisions, we recommend that DOA increase oversight and implement policies and procedures to comply with state rules for exemption renewals," the auditor's office wrote. "We also recommend that DOA document procedures, training plans, a customer service strategy, and a staffing model to ensure the exemptions team is ready to meet increased demand."

Read the full auditor's report online and learn more about eligibility requirements for property tax relief here.