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LA firestorm survivors should update mailing addresses to get property tax refunds
Damage to homes from the Eation Fire on Navarro Avenue in Altadena.
(
Noé Montes
/
LAist
)
Topline:
The Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office is asking homeowners affected by the wildfires to update their mailing addresses because important letters about relief are getting returned.
What’s happening? The office says “Notices of Assessed Value Change,” which temporarily lower taxable property values, and property tax refund checks are getting sent back because of invalid mail addresses. In most cases, the property they were mailed to was destroyed in the January fires.
What if I’m not expecting relief? You may still get help. Major calamities can make you eligible for property tax relief if your home gets damaged, which you typically have to apply for. However, the Assessor’s Office went ahead and reevaluated all properties in the disaster zones. That means you may get a property tax refund and/or a temporary reduction in value that you didn’t know about.
How do I update my address? You can do that by mailing in an address change form or by filling it out online through the Assessor’s Office website.
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