LA County Offers Property Tax Relief for Wildfire Victims

The Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office has begun enrolling property tax reductions for thousands of homeowners affected by the Eaton and Palisades wildfires, officials announced.

County Assessor Jeff Prang’s office reported that approximately 13,000 enrollments have been completed to date as of last week, with thousands more expected as relief efforts continue.

Prang said the Assessor’s Office remains committed to ensuring that all affected property owners receive the property tax relief they are legally entitled to.

Property owners who suffered damage from the fires are receiving notifications through multiple channels. Officials sent 12,370 notices via U.S. Mail on April 3, followed by 14,228 email notifications on April 7 to claimants who provided email addresses.

Each affected property may receive multiple notices, depending on the complexity of the assessment, Prang said These notices serve to confirm receipt for those who have already submitted claims.

Notably, about 40% of approved Misfortune and Calamity claims are for properties whose owners have not yet formally applied for relief.

The Assessor’s Office has updated its Assessor Portal with recent map updates that include aerial photography of properties from before and after the Eaton and Palisades Fires.

Property owners can now check their claim status through the Assessor’s online Property Search Tool by visiting:

assessor.lacounty.gov/homeowners/property-search

and entering their Assessor’s Identification Number (AIN) or property address.

Officials note that once a claim shows as “approved,” the relief adjustment may take one to two weeks before being reflected on the county website.

Affected property owners who haven’t yet applied can still seek relief by visiting the county’s online application portal at:

assessor.lacounty.gov/contact/calamity-disaster.

For assistance with assessment questions, property owners can contact regional offices. Officials said Eaton Fire inquiries should be directed to the East District Office at (626) 258-6001.

Property owners can also view recent and historic aerial photos of their property by visiting the Assessor Portal at:

portal.assessor.lacounty.gov.

Additional information about disaster relief, including notice examples and explanations, is available at:

assessor.lacounty.gov/tax-relief/disaster-relief.