Official Newsletter of the Alameda County Assessor's Office | August 2023






Message from Assessor La

Dear Residents,


I hope you are all enjoying the summer and prepared to start the new school year! I'm sure many of you are busy with restarting early morning routines, preparing lunches, and dreading the back-to school shopping lines, but I wanted to take a moment to check-in about something you may have already received in the mail by now—your 2023-2024 Assessment Notice!


This is a very important time of the year for homeowners and business owners, as you are receiving your annual notice and you either agree or disagree with your assessment. If you disagree with your assessment, you have a few options. My staff and I have prepared some information to help you learn more about these options, so please see the Resource section below.

This month we begin to highlighting Alameda County Departments in our newsletter profile. I hope learning more about the various departments and resources they provide to Alameda County residents will be valuable information to you. This month we are spotlighting the Alameda County Treasurer Tax-Collector!


Community Engagements:


Last month, I met with The Real Estate Alliance of Livermore where I gave a presentation on Proposition 19 and had a Q&A session. Thank you to those who organized this meeting, it's always great to connect with residents throughout the county!


My office will be attending this year's Oakland Pride Festival on September 9th and the Chinatown Street Festival on August 26th. Keep an eye out for our informational booth and come say, "Hi!"


It is always wonderful to see new businesses opening in Alameda County. Congratulations to PoweredxYou in Livermore for their grand opening last month. The Assessor's Office proudly celebrates the grand openings and wishes the businesses great success!


Please let the Assessor's Office know if your organization is hosting an in-person or virtual event that you would like the Assessor's Office to attend. If there is a specific topic you would like to see covered in a future webinar, I encourage you to fill out the poll with possible topics HERE.

 

To keep an eye out for our upcoming programs and tell others to sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our events, important dates, and deadlines or follow the Assessor's Office on Instagram and Facebook.

 

Free Property Transfer Legal Clinic to Help Answer Questions:

The Property Transfer Legal Clinic (PTLC) is here to help! The PTLC is a free legal clinic available to assist property/business owners and constituents on the third Friday of each month. I continue to work with the Alameda County Law Library, the Alameda County Bar Association, Legal Access Alameda, and the Alameda County Library to maintain this clinic and to make it available for Alameda County residents, who do not have access to an attorney. Sign up HERE

 

As always, we remain committed to serving the residents of Alameda County.

 

Sincerely,

Phong La

Alameda County Assessor

Assessor in the Community

Photo of Assessor Phong La

giving an informational Proposition 19 presentation to

the Real Estate Alliance of Livermore

Photo of Assessor staff member, Emilia Ordaz-Salto, at the

PoweredxYou ribbon cutting in Livermore

Dates & Deadlines

August 31:

Regular roll unsecured taxes due.


September 15:

Filing deadline for Assessment Appeals. Must be filed in writing with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Alameda County Administration Bldg. 1221 Oak Street, Room 536, Oakland Ca. 94612. 


December 10:

Legal deadline for filing a late exemption claim for homeowners, veterans and disabled veterans.


December 10:

Last day to pay first installment of property taxes without penalty

We are hiring!


Auditor Appraiser I (Provisional)


Auditor Appraiser I is a trainee classification in the Alameda County Assessor's Office. Under supervision, Auditor Appraiser I's are trained to perform audits as required under California Revenue and Taxation Code (hereinafter R&TC), Section 469, of the books and records of businesses; to make appraisals of business personal property and trade fixtures for assessment purposes; and to perform related work as required. Incumbents in this classification receive training that is intended to assist them in their preparation for the appraiser certification test administered by the California State Board of Equalization.


Auditor Appraiser I's are responsible for:

  • Auditing financial records of businesses;
  • Auditing and appraising business personal property and trade fixtures and computing their taxable value;
  • Writing narrative reports of their findings;
  • Conducting site visits or canvassing local businesses


*Please note that this is a provisional opportunity and is not a Civil Service recruitment. Appointment in this provisional role will be in effect only until such time as a Civil Service examination is given for the Auditor Appraiser I classification. You will not gain tenure in this provisional role and will not have all the rights and privileges conferred upon regularly appointed employees following a Civil Service exam. The appointment can be terminated at the discretion of the department. You will be expected to review and sign the Notification of Terms and Conditions of Provisional Appointment for Alameda County prior to onboarding.*


Job Type: Full-time


Compensation: $74,451.00 - $81,276.00 per year


Job Post: https://www.jobapscloud.com/Alameda/specs/classspecdisplay.asp?ClassNumber=2705&R1=&R3=



Interested candidates can submit their resume to AlamedaCountyAssessorHR@acgov.org

Resource

Assessment Appeal

As your County Assessor, I remain committed to ensure that we fairly assess property values in Alameda County. While I'd love for everyone to agree with their assessed values, unfortunately that's not always the case. If you have more specific questions than those listed below, please do not hesitate to contact our Office by email at AssessorWebResponse@acgov.org or call us at (510) 272- 3783 during our normal business hours Monday-Friday 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. 


What can I do if I disagree with the assessed value of my property?

The Assessor makes every effort to consider declines in value and to assess all property at the lesser of market value or factored base year value each year without the need for individual owners making an informal request or filing a formal appeal.


If you disagree with the assessed value of your new property and believe the assessed value is greater than market value on January 1 and have information you'd like us to consider, you may file an Informal Request for Reassessment with our office and a certified appraiser will review the data. For additional information about Decline in Market Value check HERE, or call (510) 272-3787.


If you still disagree with the assessed value of your new property and believe it should be lower, you can formally appeal the assessment to the Assessment Appeals Board (AAB). Any person having a direct economic interest in the payment of the property taxes is considered a "person affected" and may submit an application, as well as an authorized agent or licensed attorney


How do I file for an assessment appeal?

All appeal applications, form BOE-305-AH, must be filed with the Clerk of the Board, located at 1221 Oak Street, on the fifth floor, in Oakland. These forms may be obtained by calling (510) 272-6352 or by visiting the Clerk's website HERE. Applications for Changed


Assessment requires the following information:

1. Name and mailing address of the applicant.

2. Name and mailing address of the applicant's agent.

3. A description of the property which is the subject of the application.

4. The applicant's opinion of the value of the property on the valuation date of the assessment year in issue.

5. The roll value on which the assessment of the property was based.

6. The facts relied upon to support the applicant's claim that the board should order a change in the assessed value or classification of the property.

7. Signatures.


Appeals of regular assessments must be filed from July 2 through September 15. Appeals of Supplemental or Escape Assessments must be filed within 60 days of the date of "Notice of Supplemental Assessment," or "Notice of Enrollment of Escape Assessment," or the postmark date for that notice, whichever is later


What happens after I file for an assessment appeal?

Once a timely appeal application is filed, the Clerk of the Board will schedule hearings in accordance with legal requirements. Pursuant to the Revenue and Taxation Code Section 1604, there is a two-year limitation period for appeal hearings. Applicants will be notified of the hearing date at least 45 days before the hearing. The applicant and/or the Assessor's Office are allowed one postponement as a matter of right; however, the request must be made not later than 21 days before the hearing is scheduled.


AAB will review all evidence presented by the property owner and the Assessor's Office at a formal hearing. The AAB acts in a quasi-judicial capacity and renders its decision only on the basis of proper evidence presented at the hearing. At the hearing, the board will determine the full value and, where appealed, the base year value of the property that is the subject of the hearing, as well as the allocation of value to property that is the subject of the hearing. Additionally, the board will determine the classification of the property that is the subject of the hearing. 


How do I prepare for my AAB hearing?

For specific guidance on the assessment appeals process, how to prepare for your hearing, and the actual hearing procedures, view the Board of Equalization's video guide. Additionally, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors provides the AAB Instruction Booklet online in English, Spanish, and Chinese HERE.


The board will only consider admissible and relevant evidence during the hearing. You are responsible for preparing any supporting documents regarding your valuation, including market comparables, appraisals, or opinions of value. The kind of evidence at the hearing will vary depending on whether the property is business personal property or a residential property. Written materials must be submitted at the hearing to be considered by the board.


For additional information and answers to frequently asked questions regarding assessment appeals, please check the BOE website HERE.



*DISCLAIMER: This information is intended to communicate general information. This information is not legal advice or a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney or CPA. Individuals who have specific questions about their property should seek their own counsel.


Profile


Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector

Contrary to popular belief, The Assessor's Office is not responsible for sending or collecting property taxes. That responsibility falls under the Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office.  Henry "Hank" Levy was appointed Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector in 2017. To learn more about the work of the Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office, check out the blog here

 

The Treasurer serves as the depository for all funds belonging to the County, school districts, and other special districts within the county. Operating primarily under Government Code, the Treasurer receives, deposits, and manages investments for nearly $7 billion generated from taxes, fees, grants, and bond proceeds annually.

 

Under the Treasurer's leadership, the Investments and Cash Management Division actively manages an Investment Pool of cash reserves for all County agencies, school districts and special districts. With approximately $6 billion in assets, the Investment Pool is invested in fixed income securities that are legally permitted by California Government Code and also meet the criteria of the Alameda County Treasury's Investment Policy.

 

The primary objectives of the Investment Pool are:

 

1.    Safeguard Principal

2.    Maintain liquidity to meet cash flow requirements

3.    Achieve a reasonable rate of return consistent with these objectives

 

The Treasurer issues a monthly investment report with details on characteristics on the pool including total assets under management, current holdings in the pool, and the rate of return.

 

The Treasurer, who is also an umpire during his free time, has oversight of:


  • Tax Collection throughout Alameda County.
  • Selling delinquent properties and, where appropriate, developing them into affordable housing and open space, or public use.
  • Banking and Investment of a portfolio of County and School District funds over $7 Billion.
  • Directing the County's elective supplemental deferred compensation program for County employees
  • Serving as an Ex-officio trustee on the Alameda County Retirement System (ACERA).
  • Serving as a Member of the Alameda County Finance Committee, which oversees bond issuance and other County financial matters.



Property Tax Payments Deadlines


The Total Amount Due is payable in two installments:


  1. The 1st installment is due on November 1, and is delinquent at 5:00 p.m. December 10, after which a 10% penalty attaches.
  2. The 2nd installment is due on February 1, of the following year and is delinquent at 5:00 p.m. April 10, after which a 10% penalty and $10 cost attach.
  3. In order to pay both installments at the same time, remit the TOTAL AMOUNT DUE with both installment payment stubs by December 10.
  4. If December 10 or April 10 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday, no penalty is charged if payment is made by 5:00 p.m. on the next business day.



Contact


Treasurer Tax-Collector

1221 Oak Street, Room 131

Oakland, CA • 94612

(510) 272-6800


https://treasurer.acgov.org/


Support Resources

The next Property Transfer Legal Clinic will take place on Friday, August 18th.

Please visit the link HERE to make an appointment with a volunteer attorney for a free 30-minute consultation.

The Assessor's Office is partnering with the Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA) and Supervisor Márquez's Office for a FREE Low-Income Estate Planning Workshop for Alameda County residents! Please register on Eventbrite to secure a seat, space is limited.

Prism Foundation is providing funding for projects that make a strong and positive impact in the API LGBTQIA+ community. Grants range from $1,000 – $5,000. Supported activities may include community events, films, ethnographic surveys, and training tools. Eligible applicants must complete an online application form and itemized budget.  

Eligibility: Non-profits

 

Grant Period: 12 months (anticipated start date Nov/Dec 2023)

 

Due Date: 11:59 PM PT on Friday, September 1, 2023


Contact Information: grants@theprismfoundation.org

 

For more information on the grant, please visit Prism Foundation's website: https://theprismfoundation.org/grants

STAY IN TOUCH

Keep up to date on important information that may affect your property taxes by following us on Twitter (@acassessor) and Facebook (Alameda County Assessor's Office - Home | Facebook).

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