The City of Berkeley may charge you extra parcel taxes to live in South or West Berkeley, not North or East Berkeley. These overages are often not disclosed to buyers

Homes for sale or recently sold: 1334 Kains, 2226 Curtis and 1744 McGee are charged double parcel taxes because of unfinished basement, unusable as living space as one cannot walk upright. Voters approved parcel taxes for schools, libraries, parks, fire safety and EMT on dwelling space, not non-dwelling space. These long-term overcharges have punished South and West Berkeley homeowners with inequitable taxation for decades.

Homes for sale at 850 Creston, 1516 Olympus and 570 Woodmont have basements, and/or permitted additions, which do not incur parcel tax charges. This awards tax savings to Berkeley Hills homeowners. The new owner will continue to enjoy the escaped taxes for schools, libraries and parks, because Prop 13 reassessment does not apply to parcel taxes.