Tarrant Co. appraisal board employee files complaints against realtor helping people protest appraisals

FORT WORTH, Texas - A realtor in Tarrant County who has helped hundreds of homeowners fight their appraisal bills is the subject of complaints by a county official.

An employee of the appraisal board has filed complaints with the state.

The Tarrant Appraisal District Board of Directors on Thursday faced what some call the largest meeting turnout ever. 

Hundreds of property owners showed up to support Chandler Crouch. He’s a realtor known for helping property owners protest home values and reduce their tax bills.

"My first inclination is to teach them what I can so they can go protest on their own," he said. "I’ve got tutorial videos and that sort of thing. And if they need help beyond that, then I say, ‘I will protest for you for free.’"

In late 2021, one Tarrant County district official filed several complaints against Crouch with the state, stating "Chandler Crouch, both property tax consultant and licensed Texas realtor/broker, intentionally misled members of the Tarrant Review Board with his testimony in 2021 ‘market value’ protest hearings."

Crouch’s supporters say it was an underhanded, unethical tactic. They accuse the board member of using his title to back his personal complaints. 

"I’d just like to see an environment of hostility, intimidation and those tactics expunged from this organization. The board needs to take action," said homeowner Carol Whittlesey.

"He protests a lot of peoples, but he knows the law and how to do it and do it correctly. I think he’s being personally attacked right now. I don’t know why," said homeowner Danny Merck.

"Their persecution of him is a persecution of every resident in Tarrant County. That is ridiculous," said homeowner CJ Winslow.

"We are addressing a major problem. That’s why we are here today. We take this very seriously," a woman on the board said. "That’s the reason we are sitting here listening to all of you."

Crouch says with his team of employees, he’s assisted roughly 28,000 property owners this past year alone to help reduce their tax bills.

"It’s disrupted their good ole boy system, and it’s helped to illuminate some of the problems that exist here at the appraisal district," he said.

The board action called for doing away with the complaints that were filed and more discussion in the near future on issues that involve what Crouch does to help others.