The report, which administration officials presented as evidence of progress, points to internal changes at OPA and claims the office is moving in the right direction. But Council members, including Quetcy Lozada, whose district includes much of Kensington, argue that the data tells a different story. Kensington has seen property valuations increase more than any other neighborhood in the city, according to the report, a trend that Lozada and others say threatens to displace longtime residents and accelerate gentrification.

"The numbers may show improvement on paper, but our constituents are still getting hit with assessments they can't afford," Lozada said. "We need real relief, not a victory lap."

The dispute comes after years of criticism that Philadelphia's property assessment system has been riddled with inaccuracies and inequities. Lower-income neighborhoods and communities of color have long borne a disproportionate share of the tax burden, with assessments often rising faster than incomes and pushing vulnerable residents toward foreclosure or displacement.

Council members have called for greater oversight of OPA, including a task force to investigate assessment practices and recommend reforms. The mayor's report appears to be an attempt to preempt that effort, asserting that the office is already addressing problems internally.

But Council's skepticism is bipartisan and deep. Several members said the report lacks transparency and fails to address the root causes of assessment disparities. They pointed to the Kensington valuations as a case in point: while the administration touts improvement, homeowners in the neighborhood are seeing tax bills spike.

"If the office is improving, why are my constituents facing the largest increases in the city?" Lozada asked. "That's not improvement — that's a crisis."

The administration has not responded to Council's criticisms, but the mayor's office has previously said it is committed to making the assessment process fairer and more accurate. The report is expected to be discussed at a Council hearing later this month, where members are likely to press OPA officials for more details on how assessments are conducted and what safeguards exist to protect vulnerable homeowners.

For residents in neighborhoods like Kensington, the debate is not abstract. Rising assessments mean higher property taxes, which can force families out of homes they have owned for generations. Community groups have called for caps on assessment increases and more robust outreach to homeowners who may be eligible for relief programs.

The mayor's report may have been intended to quiet the criticism, but it appears to have done the opposite. Council members say they will continue to push for a task force and for legislation that would require OPA to justify its assessments and provide clearer avenues for appeals.

"We can't let a report paper over the real harm being done," Lozada said. "Our communities deserve better."