After years of sticker shock, many Bexar County homeowners may feel some relief when they see their new appraisals.

On the final day to file, the Bexar County Appraisal District was overwhelmed with taxpayers filing protests to try to prove their latest property values were much too high.

“You will note...that there will be tax relief this year. And so part of that discussion is how we handle the options that will be presented by staff,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg told council members at the beginning of a Wednesday budget meeting.

The Bexar County Appraisal District is set to start mailing out hundreds of thousands of notices to property owners in the coming weeks for anyone whose property has increased in appraisal value since last year.

The Bexar County Appraisal District is investigating a ransomware attack over the weekend that affected part of the district’s systems.

SAN ANTONIO – If your property sustained damaged during last month’s winter storm, you could qualify for a temporary property tax exemption. Qualified properties include:tangible personal property used for income production if the owner filed a renditionresidential buildings (homes)commercial buildings (businesses)industrial buildings (manufacturing)multi-family buildings (apartments), and other real property buildingscertain manufactured homes. The temporary disaster area exemption applies to all counties in Texas and expires on Jan. 1, 2022. If you live in Bexar County, click here for more information and to download the application form. You can contact the Bexar County Appraisal District by phone at 210-242-2432.

SAN ANTONIO David Ceballos dropped his protest notice in the drop-box outside the Bexar County Appraisal District (BCAD) on Thursday. RELATED: Governor Abbott: Texas will not suspend property appraisals this tax year despite pandemicFor people who appeal, the process looks a little different this year. If you still arent satisfied, you can get an in-person formal hearing -- only its 2020 style. The formal hearings likely wont happen until after August because of volume and a process slowed by precautions. MORE: Texas wont freeze property appraisals amid coronavirus pandemic

We talked to local homeowners and experts, looked at data and even played with Legos to break down all you need to know about property taxes. Bexar County property valuesTheres a reason youve been reading so much about property taxes lately. Property values in San Antonio and Bexar County have been rising. We requested information from the Bexar County Appraisal District, breaking down the average residential property appraisal in 2014 and in 2019 by ZIP code. City study on property appraisal processThe city of San Antonio is reviewing how the Bexar County Appraisal District operates.