Many Los Angeles County wildfire victims are still waiting for property tax refunds as checks meant to provide relief are being returned undelivered. According to the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office, a significant number of refund checks and notices are being sent back due to invalid mailing addresses — a situation the office attributes to the destruction of homes during this year’s wildfires.
While the Assessor’s Office has promoted its efforts to reassess damaged properties and issue refunds, the reality for many residents is continued delay in receiving much-needed financial support. Returned refund checks and tax notices have become a growing problem, with the county urging property owners to update their mailing information online to avoid missing future payments.
Officials claim that the destruction of homes has left many addresses unusable but some affected homeowners say they have received little direct communication or guidance on how to ensure their refunds reach them. The Assessor’s Office has stated that updating a mailing address will not affect the official property records but is necessary to receive tax-related documents and relief checks.
The county’s relief efforts include temporary reductions in assessed property value and in some cases property tax refunds for those whose homes were damaged or destroyed. However, the bottleneck in delivering refunds highlights the ongoing difficulties faced by wildfire victims who have already lost their homes and are now struggling to access promised aid.
Assessor Jeff Prang said in a statement that “getting relief into the hands of wildfire victims is a top priority” but emphasized that the office needs updated contact information from homeowners to deliver refunds without delay. The office has also coordinated with other county departments to defer property tax payments and waive late penalties but those benefits are only accessible if residents receive the necessary paperwork.
For those still waiting, the county advises updating mailing addresses as soon as possible by visiting assessor.lacounty.gov/homeowners/change-mailing-address. More information on disaster relief programs including the Misfortune & Calamity claim is available at assessor.lacounty.gov/tax-relief/disaster-relief.
The ongoing issue raises questions about the effectiveness of the county’s outreach and whether enough is being done to connect displaced residents with the relief they are entitled to. As the fire recovery continues, many homeowners remain in limbo waiting for checks that have yet to arrive.
