Filmore Parc Apartments II v. Foster

212 So. 3d 621, 2016 La.App. 4 Cir. 0568, 2017 WL 605014, 2017 La. App. LEXIS 227
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 15, 2017
DocketNO. 2016-CA-0568
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 212 So. 3d 621 (Filmore Parc Apartments II v. Foster) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Filmore Parc Apartments II v. Foster, 212 So. 3d 621, 2016 La.App. 4 Cir. 0568, 2017 WL 605014, 2017 La. App. LEXIS 227 (La. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

Judge Terri F. Love

11 This appeal arises from a petition to recover, ad valorem taxes paid under protest. Defendants filed a motion for summary judgment contending that plaintiff was not entitled to a refund of taxes paid under protest because plaintiffs property [623]*623was not exempt from ad valorem taxation. Plaintiff then filed a cross-motion for summary judgment alleging that it provides public housing and is therefore exempt from ad valorem taxation. The trial court found that plaintiff was not entitled to the return of taxes paid under protest because plaintiffs housing was not considered “public housing.” As such, plaintiffs property was not exempt from ad valorem taxation.

Plaintiff appeals contending that the trial court misinterpreted this Court’s jurisprudence on the matter. We find that the trial court legally erred by ending the analysis after first finding that plaintiffs property was privately owned. The trial court did not consider the second prong of the test required when determining whether property is exempt from ad valorem taxation. Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is reversed, and the matter is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

19FACTUAL BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Michael Vales formed Mirabeau Family Learning Center, Inc. (“MFLC”), a Louisiana non-profit corporation, as a vehicle to counteracting poverty. MFLC acquired the property (“Property”) in question in 1995, “for the specific purpose of constructing housing units to provide affordable housing to low and very low income families.” MFLC entered into a Land Use Restriction Agreement (“LURA”) with the requirement that the Property be used “solely to provide housing to low- and very low-income families.” Filmore Parc Apartments II (“Filmore”), a partnership in commendam, was formed by Mr. Vales with MFLC as the general partner. The Housing Outreach Fund VII Limited Partnership, a Fannie Mae entity, is the limited partner. MFLC’s interest in the Property was then transferred to Filmore.

Filmore operated the Property as “affordable housing for low- and very low-income families.” The Property operates 32 units as Section 8 Project Based Voucher units. The remaining units meet the requirements of § 42 of the Internal Revenue Code. Filmore contends that the Property is operated pursuant to the federal Hope VI program1 and La. R.S. § 40:600.1-600.24.2 However, Filmore Parc was assessed ad valorem taxes for the Property for the 2014 tax year. Filmore paid $61,755.92 on January 24, 2014, and contended that it was exempt pursuant to Louisiana Const. Art. VII, § 21(A).

Filmore then filed a Petition to Recover Taxes Paid Under Protest against IsNorman Foster, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Finance for the City of New Orleans; Erroll Williams, as the Assessor of Orleans Parish; and the Louisiana Tax Commission. Mr. Williams filed an Exception of Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction included with his Answer because Filmore failed to appeal the tax assessment. Mr. Williams also filed a Motion for Summary Judgment contending that the housing units in the Property were not exempt from ad valorem taxation. Filmore [624]*624filed a Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment alleging exemption. Following a hearing, the trial court found that the Property was not exempt from ad valorem taxation for 2014. Accordingly, the trial court granted Mr. Williams’ Motion for Summary Judgment and denied Filmore’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. Filmore’s Petition for Suspensive Appeal followed.

Filmore asserts that the trial court legally erred by applying the incorrect legal test and misinterpreting jurisprudence to conclude that the Property was not tax exempt.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

“[A] motion for summary judgment shall be granted if the motion, memorandum, and supporting documents show that there is no genuine issue as to material fact and that the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” La. C.C.P. art. 966(A)(3). “The burden of proof rests with the mover.” La. C.C.P. art. 966(D)(1). However, “if the mover will not bear the burden of proof at trial on the issue that is before the court,” then the mover is required “to point out to the court the absence of factual support for one or more elements essential to the adverse party’s claim, action, or defense.” La. C.C.P. art. 966(D)(1).

An appellate court reviews the granting of a motion for summary judgment |4with the de novo standard of review. Brunet v. Fullmer, 00-0644, p. 3 (La.App. 4 Cir. 1/10/01), 777 So.2d 1240, 1241. “Appellate courts use the ‘same criteria that govern the trial court’s consideration of whether summary judgment is appropriate, i.e., whether there is a genuine issue of material fact and whether the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.’ ” Weintraub v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 08-0351, p. 2 (La.App. 4 Cir. 10/29/08), 996 So.2d 1195, 1196-97, quoting Supreme Servs. and Specialty Co., Inc. v. Sonny Greer, Inc., 06-1827, p. 4 (La. 5/22/07), 958 So.2d 634, 638.

PUBLIC HOUSING

Filmore avers that the trial court misinterpreted this Court’s jurisprudence and limited the applicability of the test for exemption from ad valorem taxation. Fil-more contends that as long as property “and its revenues are dedicated to the public purpose” and the property is being used for that purpose, the property should be exempt. Filmore asserts that if the trial court applied this correct legal test, then the Property would have been deemed exempt.

“‘Exemptions from taxation are strictly construed, an exemption being an exceptional privilege which must be clearly and unequivocably and affirmatively established.’” Abundance Square Associates, L.P. v. Williams, 10-0324, p. 5 (La.App. 4 Cir. 3/23/11), 62 So.3d 261, 263-464, quoting Holley v. Plum Creek Timber Co., Inc., 38,716, p. 7 (La. App. 2 Cir. 6/23/2004), 877 So.2d 284, 290. “La. Const, art. VII, § 21(A) exempts ‘public property used for public purposes’ from ad valorem taxation.” Slay v. Louisiana Energy & Power Auth., 473 So.2d 51, 53 (La. 1985). “This general exemption includes all property owned by the state and the various political subdivisions of the State.” Id. However, “[t]he Louisiana Supreme Court acknowledged that property can ‘vest’ in the public even | ^though the ‘title be not in the public.’ ” Abundance Square, 10-0324, p. 5, 62 So.3d at 264, quoting Adm’rs of Tulane Educ. Fund v. Board of Assessors, 38 La.Ann. 292 (1886), 1886 WL 4310, *4. After examining the first requirement for tax exemption, there is no question that Filmore’s Property is privately owned.

[625]*625“The second requirement for ad valorem tax exemption is that the public property be used for a public purpose.” Slay, 478 So.2d at 54. “Louisiana jurisprudence holds that ownership alone is not the determining factor and that privately owned property may be dedicated to public use to attain tax exempt status.” Abundance Square, 10-0324, p. 10, 62 So.3d at 266. “[H]ow the revenue derived from private property is used may be considered in determining whether the property is dedicated to public use.” Id. Therefore, the Property could be exempt from taxation if it is used for a public purpose. See Abundance Square, 10-0324, p.

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212 So. 3d 621, 2016 La.App. 4 Cir. 0568, 2017 WL 605014, 2017 La. App. LEXIS 227, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/filmore-parc-apartments-ii-v-foster-lactapp-2017.