INSIDE Century City/ Westwood
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CenturyCity-WestwoodNews.com
February 2024
Health and Wellness - See Page 8
Tax Relief is Available for Natural Disasters From the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office By Jeff Prang, Los Angeles County Assessor This has been a challenging few months when it comes to our weather because we’ve been ravaged by severe storms not experienced in decades. The damage has been extensive throughout California, and our region has suffered significantly. The rain totals have been historic, with meteorologists indicating the most recent storm was the third wettest over a two-day period since 1877. My entire office extends our sincerest regard to all those suffering from these storms, and we do have a program that offers property tax relief for qualified property owners.
It’s understandable that those affected by these storms would not be thinking about their property taxes at this difficult time. However, I did want to remind them there is property tax relief available in the event of damage to their property resulting from these types of natural disasters. By filing a claim for Misfortune & Calamity relief within one year of the incident, properties that have sustained a minimum of $10,000 in damage or destruction may be eligible for a refund of taxes already paid and lower annual tax bills until the property is repaired or rebuilt. This property tax relief is available to owners of homes, business equipment, fixtures, orchards, or other agricultural groves, and to owners of aircraft, boats, and certain manufactured homes. It is not available to property that is not assessable, such as state-licensed manufactured homes or household furnishings. As stated, the claim has to be filed with my office within 12 months of the event, whether it be caused by fire, earthquake, flooding or any other natural disaster, for that matter. The savings can be for a total loss of the
property or a percentage of the damage as long as it’s $10,000 or more. The percentage is calculated by the appraiser using a standard formula, oftentimes in conjunction with other factors such as existing insurance. If granted, the assessed value of your property will be reduced, effective from the date the damage occurred until the damaged structures are rebuilt or repaired, the property undergoes a change in ownership, or a base year value transfer is affected. Furthermore, we are going to be proactively identifying eligible properties so the process can be moved forward expeditiously. These types of reassessments led to millions of dollars in property tax relief a few years back during a significant event known as the Woolsey Fire, as well as victims of the Rolling Hills Estates landslides where homes were red-tagged as uninhabitable when the ground collapsed underneath their foundations, reducing homes to rubble. The M&C claim forms - known as the Application for Reassessment: Property Damaged or Destroyed by Misfortune or Calamity (ADS-820) - can be obtained online at https://assessor.lacounty.gov/tax-relief/
disaster-relief or by phone at (213) 974-8658. Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang leads the largest local public property assessment agency in the nation. His office of about 1,400 appraisers and support staff is dedicated to creating an accurate and timely property Assessment Roll. This year, the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office conducted more than 2.5 million real estate and business assessments valued at nearly $2 trillion.
Brentwood Non-Profit SheStyles Seeks to Transform the Donation Experience Sisters Empowering Girls, One Stylish Outfit at a Time, In Brentwood
In the early days of the pandemic, sisters
Brooke and JoJo Friedman embarked on a mission to transform the traditional clothing donation process. Recognizing the lack of consideration for recipients’ experiences, particularly among underserved communities, they founded SheStyles—the initiative aimed to offer girls stylish clothing choices at no cost, emphasizing personalization and dignity. Brooke, initially motivated by her own closet clean-out, envisioned a shift from merely convenient donations to providing
an empowering and enjoyable experience for those in need. SheStyles, a project that transcends the pursuit of high-end designer pieces, focuses on giving girls access to diverse clothing options that resonate with their identities. Starting on Instagram, SheStyles quickly expanded to hosting pop-up shops, with the first one held in the Saban Community Clinic’s East Melrose location in 2022. The Friedman sisters, along with a dedicated team of high school volunteers, have organized five additional pop-ups across Los Angeles in collaboration with nonprofits supporting girls and young women. During these events, known as “SheStyles Boutiques,” attendees are assisted by the “SheStylists” team in selecting and styling
outfits from a wide array of donated clothes. Each item features a SheStyles hangtag, and the pop-ups are designed to emulate a boutique shopping experience, complete with branded shopping bags and makeup samples—all provided free of charge. SheStyles has officially become a registered 501c3 organization; Brooke and JoJo have ambitious plans for expansion, aiming to establish new partnerships, host larger events, and evolve into a more extensive initiative. With the belief that everyone deserves to look and feel their best, the Friedman sisters hope to continue creating positive and impactful experiences for girls through SheStyles.
BACK OR UNFILES
TAXES?
ALL FORMS • ALL TYPES • ALL STATES SAMUEL B. MOSES, CPA
(310) 395-9922
100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1753 • Santa Monica 90401