RUSKIN, FL -- On Yukon Cliff Drive in Ruskin, several homes have been abandoned because of Chinese drywall. Duke Stanley's home sits in that cluster. He’s one of the few homeowners who have stuck around.
"You put out all you can to live the American dream and then you find out that it's broken," Stanley says.
Stanley says his home loses value every day and he wants his property bill to reflect that.
"We were sold a defective product so we should be some way of resolving that," Stanley says.
Help could be coming from an unlikely source.
"It has an effect on the values of their homes which clearly suggests we should make some adjustment for those property owners who are affected by this problem," says Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Rob Turner. This year, his staff will work with homeowners living with Chinese drywall to revalue their homes, which could save those thousands of dollars.
But, homeowners have to act first. Homeowners will begin receiving their TRIM notices this week. The first thing you need to if you have Chinese drywall is pick up the phone and call the property appraiser's office."
Turner says an appraiser will visit each home and homeowners should provide documented proof of Chinese drywall.
"We're expecting 400-500 homes that will be affected by this," Stanley says.
Turner says an exact formula hasn't been worked out yet. But, he would like the reduction in the value of the home, and ultimately the bill, to be based on the amount of money it will take to repair the homes.
A reduction that may only make a dent in Duke Stanley's problem, but he says every little bit helps.
"It's a stressful time so if we get any kind of help I would be grateful," Stanley says.
So what happens if you live outside of Hillsborough County and you've been hit with Chinese drywall? You too should contact your own property appraiser's office.
Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: (813) 272-6100
Pinellas County Property Appraiser: (727) 464-3207
Pasco County Property Appraiser: (727) 847-8151
Polk County Property Appraiser: (863) 534-4777
Sarasota County Property Appraiser: (941) 861-8200
Manatee County Property Appraiser: (941) 748-8408Citrus County Property Appraiser: (352) 341-6600
Hernando County Property Appraiser: (352) 754-4190
