How can a resident get their taxes reduced?

A: Local property taxes are based on 1% of the assessed value (AV) of the property or home, plus any local bonded debt, such as school bonds. Under the California Constitution (Article VIIIA), the county assessor may increase the AV by 2% a year; however, when a home is sold and ownership is transferred, the assessor may re-assess the property (usually to the higher selling price or value). Therefore, homes that have been resold in a “good” real estate market have been reassessed at higher values, sometimes significantly higher, than those that have remained under the same ownership for years with the application of the annual 2% formula. Since the 2007 recession, many homes have decreased in value. Mobilehome owners, like owners of conventional homes, who feel their taxes are too high in the current market, may file an appeal

with the county assessment appeals board to see if they can get their AV, and thus their taxes, reduced. The burden, however, is on the homeowner to produce evidence that his or her home is worth less than the assessor’s valuation. This can be done by getting a private appraisal(s) and producing documents showing the reduced or selling prices of similar mobilehomes in the park or in similar parks in the community. Information on how to apply and the deadlines for applying may be obtained from the local county tax assessor’s office.