HAMILTON COUNTY (CINCINNATI), OHIO

In April 2008 the Hamilton County Auditor contracted with Lexur Appraisal Services to complete its state mandated reappraisal for 2011. As part of the reappraisal effort, Lexur was to provide street level photographs of the County's 340,000 parcels.

Working with Lexur's business partners, Yotta MVS, Inc. and Pictometry International, Lexur combined the collection of the property images with verification of property characteristics. Lexur appraisers and Yotta MVS field collection personnel teamed to collect images and verify property characteristics in a single process.

Yotta MVs video vans, equipped with computers containing County GIS maps, oblique aerial photography, and CAMA information, including property sketches, began the process of photographing the properties in July. As the video staff photographed the properties, recorded an x-y coordinate, and verified the property address, Lexur appraisers verified the existing property information. Characteristic discrepancies discovered were corrected or flagged for further follow-up by Lexur's staff.

The collection and verification effort was completed in less than seven (7) months using six (6) collection crews.

After completion of the collection process, Lexur personnel reviewed each recommended change and determined the follow-up necessary to complete the record. Properties requiring additional field work were addressed and field checks completed. Properties where discrepancies could be corrected utilizing the oblique aerial photography were checked and CAMA information updated.

Lexur was able to complete the data verification (data collection) of 340,000 properties in less than one year with a staff of less than 10. The use of the latest technology tools combined with business partner's specialties provided Hamilton County with a cost effective method of meeting the State of Ohio requirements for viewing properties during a six year reappraisal.