Yuba County: Property Tax Adjustments Available for Taxable Property Damaged by the Oct. 2017 Wildfires

October 16, 2017 – Property owners impacted by the October 2017 wildfires, by having more than $10,000 in damage to taxable real and/or personal property, are eligible for a temporary reduction of their property tax assessment and may be eligible for a deferral of the first installment of their 2017-2018 property tax bill.

The Yuba County Assessor’s Office is encouraging all property owners of fire damaged property to notify the assessor’s office. You will be asked to provide the property address, the type of damage (i.e. house destroyed, outbuilding damaged, orchard damaged, etc.), and your contact information so that tax relief can be granted as prescribed by law. The assessor’s office will be conducting an independent field canvas and will be reviewing fire reports in an attempt to identify all damaged property qualifying for relief. Properties having locked gates and otherwise compromised access may be missed if the assessor’s office is not contacted.

Assessed values are reduced by the percentage of damage to real and/or personal property. When real property is restored, repaired or reconstructed, and is similar in size and utility as the original property, the base value of the original property will be the new base value of the repaired or reconstructed property.

Qualifying owners of properties damaged in the October 2017 wildfires can also apply to defer payment of the December 10, 2017 first installment of their 2017-2018 property tax bill unless that bill is paid by their mortgage company through an impound account. Property tax deferral can be requested as part of the calamity reassessment claim. Deferral requests must be submitted no later than December 10, 2017. If the property qualifies, taxes will be deferred until 30 days following the receipt of a corrected bill that reflects the temporary reduction in value caused by the fires. Property tax deferral is provided only upon application. Application forms for deferral of property tax can be obtained by phone, mail, or from the assessor’s website at the following address: www.co.yuba.ca.us/Departments/Assessor

Please contact the assessor’s office by phone at 530-749-7820 or visit the assessor’s office at the Yuba County Government Center located at 915 8th Street, Suite 101, Marysville, CA 95901.