Los Angeles, CA - In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that began earlier this year, the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office has worked diligently to provide property tax relief to impacted homeowners. Since January, the Office has mobilized teams, reassigned resources, and developed streamlined processes to assess property damage and expedite disaster relief for eligible properties.
The Assessor’s Office took a proactive approach by evaluating all properties within the declared disaster zones—even in cases where a Misfortune & Calamity (M&C) tax relief claim was not submitted by the property owner. This effort will ensure that all qualifying property owners receive the full benefits provided for under California law, including temporary reductions in assessed value and, in many cases, property tax refunds.
The Treasurer and Tax Collector is applying deferrals of property tax payments and cancellation of late-payment penalties. Additionally, the Office is working in partnership with the Auditor-Controller to ensure that revised property valuations are applied to future tax bills and to facilitate the issuance of property tax refunds to those whose property was damaged, destroyed or negatively impacted by the fires.
As a result of these coordinated efforts, hundreds of affected homeowners have already received relief. However, many of the “Notices of Assessed Value Change” and property tax refund checks are now being returned to the County because the mailing addresses on record are no longer valid. In numerous cases, the original property—and with it, the recorded mailing address—was destroyed in the wildfires.
Homeowners who have experienced property loss are urged to update their current mailing address to ensure delivery of important property assessment and tax-related documents, including property tax refunds.
To update a mailing address, visit the Assessor’s Office at assessor.lacounty.gov/homeowners/change-mailing-address
Updating a mailing address does not change the official records or status of the property’s physical location. It simply ensures that important tax notices and documents—including refunds—are delivered to the address where they can be received.
“Getting relief into the hands of wildfire victims is a top priority for our Office,” said Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang. “We understand how devastating these fires have been, and we are committed to making sure impacted property owners receive the support they’re entitled to. But we need their help in updating contact information so that relief can reach them without delay.”
For more information on all disaster relief programs available including the Misfortune & Calamity claim or any other tax savings programs, please visit assessor.lacounty.gov/tax-relief/disaster-relief
