No more door knocking

NORFOLK, Va. - On Tuesday afternoon, Norfolk City Council decided to change the way tax assessors do business. They are no longer allowed to knock on your door.

Under a fairly new Norfolk city project, a property assessor simply knocked on the door, talked to the owner and got an up-close look to determine the home's value. If the knock went unanswered, the assessor could check out an unlocked backyard without permission.

Some residents called it an invasion of property rights and demanded a change. On Tuesday, Norfolk City Council decided to stop door knocking and instead, assess from the sidewalk.

Assessors will evaluate the home from the sidewalk, then take a digital picture of the property for the city's database.

"Maybe it's a sign of the times is, but this is an attempt on behalf of the city for us to push assessments up," said Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim

Deborah Bunn, City Assessor, spoke to city council for more than thirty minutes about the pro's and con's of sidewalk assessments.

"One of the benefits of doing it from the sidewalk is to let the appraiser walk around the neighborhood and get the appraiser more familiar with the market dynamics of the neighborhood," said Bunn.

The decision isn't a permanent one and the council discussed doing the sidewalk inspections for one year, then re-evaluating how to move forward.

As of now the Assessors Office is in the middle of a five year plan to review every property individually.

Tuesday's informal council session meant the decision to stop door knocking came out of a general consensus by council and not an official vote.