Allegheny County Ordered to Conduct Countywide Reassessment: What Property Owners Should Know

For the first time in more than a decade, Allegheny County is headed toward a countywide real estate reassessment.

On August 17, 2026, Judge Kenneth G. Valasek entered an order requiring Allegheny County to conduct a comprehensive reassessment of real property and replace the County’s current 2012 base-year values. The Court ordered that the County must engage a third-party contractor, the reassessment process must materially begin no later than July 1, 2027, and the reassessment must be completed by June 30, 2032.

For Allegheny County property owners, this is significant. It will ultimately affect residential, commercial, industrial, multifamily and other taxable real estate throughout the County.

Does a countywide reassessment mean my property taxes will increase?

Not necessarily.

A reassessment changes the taxable values assigned to properties throughout the County. Individual property owners may ultimately pay more, less, or approximately the same amount depending upon how their property is valued relative to their actual market value, the overall increase to the taxable base, and the millage rates imposed by the County, municipality, and school district.

This distinction is important. A property owner may see a substantial increase in assessed value without experiencing an identical percentage increase in taxes. Likewise, an owner whose property has appreciated much more rapidly than other property in the County may face a different result than an owner whose property has appreciated at a slower rate.

What should property owners do now?

The reassessment will take several years, so property owners do not need to make decisions based on speculation about what their new assessments might be.

There are, however, some sensible steps owners can take now…

• Review the information the County maintains concerning your property.
• Make sure the basic property characteristics are accurate and discuss with an attorney at our firm about any inaccuracies.
• Keep records concerning purchases, sales, construction, renovations, leases and other information that may bear upon value.

Commercial owners and owners of larger portfolios should also begin considering how a reassessment could affect future property-tax budgeting.

Most importantly, when new values are eventually issued, owners should evaluate the assessment based upon the applicable valuation and assessment rules rather than simply comparing their assessment with a neighbor’s assessment.

Experience will matter when the new assessments arrive

Biernacki & Associates, P.C. has represented Pennsylvania taxpayers in assessment matters for more than two decades. Our assessment work involves residential and commercial property and includes attorneys, consultants, appraisers and other professionals experienced in real estate valuation and property taxation.

There will be much more information to come before the first new values are implemented. We will continue to follow the County’s selection of a reassessment contractor, the valuation process, appeal procedures, deadlines, and other developments that will affect Allegheny County property owners.

For information concerning a current property assessment or assessment appeal, contact Biernacki & Associates, P.C. at (412) 202-3739 or visit www.biernackilaw.biz.