25 years ago: Reappraisers face problems in Oread neighborhood

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Jan. 21, 1987:

  • The Douglas County reappraisers were having a hard time collecting data on the densely-populated Oread neighborhood. In attempting to gather information for a state-mandated reappraisal effort, the team was facing special problems such as exteriors that were difficult to measure (especially in the ice and snow) and renters who were not aware of the reappraisal or who might be unfamiliar with house features. “What a renter calls a bedroom, an owner might call a walk-in closet or living room,” said Reappraisal Coordinator Marvin Clements. Clements added that the office was encouraging owners of houses split into apartments to call the reappraisers to ensure accurate information was being recorded for the interiors.
  • In other Oread news, City Commissioner David Longhurst had developed a proposal to give property tax breaks to owners preserving single-family homes in the neighborhood. “It does have a personality still,” Longhurst said. “We have to make it not so profitable to tear down the single-family homes.” While not preventing a developer from building apartment complexes, the proposed plan would give tax breaks to those preserving homes for single-family use, maintaining a home’s exterior while remodeling the interior into apartments, or building apartments that matched the architectural style already in the neighborhood.