Official Newsletter of the Alameda County Assessor's Office | January 2024

Message from Assessor Phong La Dear Alameda County residents, Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. This month, we welcomed the new year. On January 15th, we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Celebrated every year on the third Monday of January, this holiday honors the life and legacy of civil rights leader, Dr. King, who dedicated his life to protesting racial discrimination in society and federal and state law. Thanks to Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement, the US government passed several groundbreaking legislative reforms aimed to promote racial equality. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to give an office overview and Proposition 19 presentation to Intero Real Estate Services in Union City. Thank you to Intero Real Estate Services for giving me the opportunity to meet with your members. If your organization is interested in scheduling a presentation with me, please reach out to my staff at AllAssessorPRU@acgov.org. I also had the pleasure of congratulating Tivoli Plaza, Myungrang Hotdog, Teavoli Boba, and Turmeric Indian Grocery for their grand opening. It's always great to see new businesses open in Alameda County! Next month, we will celebrate the Lunar New Year. According to the Chinese and Vietnamese zodiac calendars, 2024 will be the year of the dragon. The dragon, the only mythical creature of all zodiacs, is a powerful and wise creature defined by its confidence and strengths. For many cultures, the year of the dragon is considered a lucky year.  On February 12th, Alameda County will observe President Abraham Lincoln's birthday and on February 19th we will observe President George Washington's birthday. Please note that our offices will be closed. Please remember that February 15th is the legal deadline to file an exemptions claim for: Owner-occupied Homes (Form BOE-266) Veterans and Disabled Veterans (Form BOE-261 & BOE-261-G) Churches (BOE-262-AH) Nonprofit and Religious Organization Public Schools and Colleges Cemetery Personal Property You can find the forms here! All forms must be mailed or faxed. For any questions, please reach out to my office. As always, we remain committed to serving the residents of Alameda County.   Sincerely, Phong La Alameda County Assessor "The good and fair tax system established by Aristides fell apart during the Peloponnesian War. Athenian citizens complained that real and personal property taxes were too high and demanded that the government lower expenditures. The Athenian council decided to reduce property taxes but increased both tariffs and tributes paid by council allies. Taxes assessed in Athens and Attica (Athens's territory) were assessed according to the value and productivity of the land, with the more productive lands receiving higher assessments. As the Peloponnesian War dragged on, the Athenians increased the tribute expected from allies to the breaking point. The tribute was doubled and then doubled again. Ultimately, Athens ran out of money and lost the war." A Brief History of Property Tax By Richard Henry Carlson Alameda County is Hiring APPLY NOW! The recruitment may close at any time! For more information, go to: http://tinyurl.com/acvoterov Assessor in the Community Assessor Phong La with Intero Real Estate Services in Union City Assessor Phong La with Ben He, owner of Tivoli Plaza, at their grand opening in Dublin Assessor Phong La at with the owner of Myungrang Hotdog at their grand opening in Dublin Assessor Phong La with the owner of Teavoli Boba in celebration of their grand opening in Dublin Assessor Phong La with Turmeric Indian Grocery's owner for their grand opening  in Dublin Resource Welfare Tax Exemptions     Real and personal property (1) used exclusively for religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purposes, and (2) owned or held in trust by nonprofit organizations operating for those purposes, may be eligible for a property tax exemption under the Welfare Exemption (California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 214; California Constitution Section 4(b) and 5).   In general, the Welfare Exemption may be available for the property owned by qualifying nonprofit organizations if: Organizations formed and operated exclusively for qualifying purposes (religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable), Property used exclusively for those qualifying purposes, and Exempt activities must benefit to the community as a whole.   In addition to the above mentioned requirements, the property in question must also meet the specific requirements under Section 214 of Revenue and Taxation Code to qualify for the Welfare exemption.   The Welfare exemption is unique in that it is co-administered by the County Assessors and the State Board of Equalization (BOE). The BOE determines whether the Organization itself is eligible for the exemption. The County Assessor determines whether an organization's specific property qualifies for the exemption based on the property's use. Assessor may not approve a property tax exemption claim until the claimant has been issued a valid Organizational Clearance Certificate (O.C.C.) from the State Board of Equalization. Please contact BOE Exemption Section at 1-916-274-3430 if you have any questions regarding eligibility requirements of an organization and how to obtain an O.C.C..   Welfare exemption claims must be filed on an annual basis. Annual claims must be filed with the Assessor's Office between the lien date (January 1st) and February 15th to be considered timely. A partial exemption may be available for claims filed after the due date.   Assessor's Office approves Welfare exemption based on the property ownership and qualifying exempt uses. For more details, please contact Assessor's Office Exemptions unit via email exemptions@acgov.org or by phone (510)272-6587. Information and Forms are also available on our website https://www.acassessor.org.  Support Resources The next Property Transfer Legal Clinic will take place on Friday, February 16th. Please visit the link HERE to make an appointment with a volunteer attorney for a free 30-minute consultation. The FPP (Foreclosure Prevention Program) is for Alameda County Homeowners who are falling behind on their mortgage. Borrowers can apply for up to 3 properties with a maximum grant of $75,000. The program will also consider 2nd liens. This new program was approved by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in August 2023 and the Deadline to apply for the grant is Wednesday, January 31st, 2024.   FPP seeks to ensure that affected property owners retain ownership of their property, thereby decreasing the likelihood of displacement of residential tenants, particularly lower income tenants who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.   Visit the FPP online application to see if you are eligible to apply. Funding is limited and FPP will not be able to serve every Property Owner who meets minimum eligibility criteria so apply today! www.a1chs.org/fpp Program Requirements Minimum 30 days behind on a mortgage Non-Owner-Occupied Properties are eligible Property Owner may own up to 10 units Property Owner can apply for up to 3 properties 2nd liens will be considered   For more information please visit https://www.a1chs.org/fpp