Los Angeles County Assessor Rick Auerbach announced that property owners can find out if their home or condominium is one of the approximately 500,000 properties involved in a decline in value review, which could lead to lower property taxes without needing to file any forms.
Logging on to the Assessor’s website at www.assessor.lacounty.gov and entering an address or Assessor Identification Number (AIN) will show whether a single-family home or condo is part of the review which includes properties purchased primarily between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2008. In some particularly hard hit areas of the county, the review will include properties purchased as far back as 2000.
There is no charge for this review and no forms to file. Owners of property included in the review will be notified of the results by mail before the end of July.
It is my responsibility to make sure that no property owner pays more than their fair share of taxes, Auerbach said. Not everyone will be eligible for a reduction, and not every home will be reviewed, but we have identified those homes that could possibly warrant a reduction.
Auerbach noted that some private companies are charging up to $190 to request a review on behalf of homeowners. These private solicitations may violate laws that require very specific language and disclaimers that they are not being sent by a government agency, he said. Besides, there is no reason to pay for a review that will be done for free.