A Walnut Creek apartment complex is at the center of a federal investigation into whether Contra Costa County's top tax official improperly slashed property valuations for favored owners.
Federal investigators have subpoenaed records tied to the Carmel Pines apartments on Carmel Drive, along with records on other properties, the Mercury News reported July 12. The subpoenas are part of a broader probe into the Contra Costa County Assessor's Office. No individuals or companies have been formally accused of wrongdoing.
The subpoenas follow FBI raids on June 9 when agents served three search warrants: at the assessor's office on Arnold Drive in Martinez, at the home of longtime Assessor Gus Kramer on West Arlington Street in Martinez, and at the home of Assistant Assessor Vince Robb on Temple Drive in Pacheco. One warrant, signed June 4 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Illman, cited evidence of wire fraud and "other offenses," according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
What happened at Carmel Pines
The dispute traces back to 2022. Former supervising appraiser Andrea Albrecht valued the Carmel Pines property, built in 1973 and owned at the time by A.L. Kolom & Associates, at $13 million to $15 million. The owner appealed, arguing the complex was worth roughly $8 million.
According to a lawsuit Albrecht later filed, Kramer unexpectedly appeared at the appeal hearing, blocked her from presenting her appraisal, and during a recess met privately with the property owner. He agreed to lower the valuation to $10 million. Albrecht alleged the reduction was not based on any accepted appraisal methodology.
Contra Costa County reached a settlement with Albrecht after she accused Kramer of retaliating against her for raising concerns. A.L. Kolom sold the property in September to Windy Hill Property Ventures, a Palo Alto company, for $10.3 million. The complex's assessed value in 2025 was $11.1 million.
The assessor's office determines taxable property values for a county of about 1.1 million people, and those valuations drive property tax bills funding local governments, schools, and special districts.
Kramer's response and what's next
Kramer, who has held the assessor's office since 1994, told CBS News Bay Area on June 9 that "low people in high places are attempting to weaponize the FBI to intimidate the Assessor's Office regarding some values on some very large properties."
Kramer plans to retire in December 2026. Robb won the Tuesday, June 2, 2026, election for assessor with 68% of the vote, one week before FBI agents raided his home.
No charges have been filed. No timeline for the federal investigation has been publicly announced. S. Zachary Samuels, a Florida-based lawyer listed as CEO of A.L. Kolom & Associates, did not respond to the Chronicle's request for comment in June.
