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## Prompt:
In California is property tax assessed on undeveloped land, or only on land with a structure?
## Response:
In California, property tax is assessed on both undeveloped land and land with structures. Under California's Proposition 13, all real property - whether vacant or developed - is subject to property tax based on its assessed value. The assessed value is typically based on the purchase price of the property (plus a maximum 2% annual increase), regardless of whether it has structures on it or not.
However, there can be some differences in how undeveloped land is valued and taxed:
The assessed value of undeveloped land may be lower than comparable developed parcels, simply because there are no structures adding value.
Some undeveloped land may qualify for lower tax rates under special programs like the Williamson Act, which provides tax benefits for agricultural land and open space.
When undeveloped land is later developed, the new construction triggers a reassessment of that portion of the property, while the land value remains at its Proposition 13-protected base year value plus allowed increases.
Would you like me to explain any specific aspect of California's property tax system in more detail?
## Prompt:
if a home owner loses their home due to fire, and it takes years to rebuild, can they get the land reassessed for its land value during the years when there is no structure
## Response:
Yes, in California if a structure is destroyed by a fire or other natural disaster, the property owner can apply for a "calamity reassessment" under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 170. This allows for a temporary reduction in assessed value to reflect the property's current condition without structures.
Key points about this process:
The damage must exceed $10,000 in value
The property owner must file a claim with the county assessor within 12 months of the damage
The reduced assessment applies until the property is rebuilt or repaired
When reconstruction is complete, the property will be reassessed, but Proposition 13 protections still apply - meaning the new assessment cannot exceed the original property's Proposition 13 factored base year value plus allowed increases
This temporary reduction helps provide tax relief during the rebuilding period, which can be especially important given the lengthy timelines often involved in rebuilding after a disaster in California.
You would need to contact your county assessor's office to start this process, as the specific procedures and forms can vary by county.
## Prompt:
In a typical large california city what fraction of the market value of residential real estate is land and what fraction is structure? Assume an average quality of build for the home.
## Response:
The ratio varies significantly by location and over time, but in major California cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, or San Jose, the land typically accounts for around 65-80% of the total property value for a standard single-family home, with the structure accounting for the remaining 20-35%.
This high land-to-structure ratio is quite different from many other parts of the country where land might only represent 20-30% of the total value. The high land values in California's major cities are driven by:
Severe constraints on developable land (mountains, ocean, protected areas)
Strict zoning laws that limit density
High demand due to economic opportunities and climate
Limited new housing construction relative to population growth
For example, in a typical California city, a property worth $1 million might break down as:
Land value: $700,000-$800,000
Structure value: $200,000-$300,000 (for a moderate quality 2,000-2,500 sq ft home)
This ratio has shifted dramatically over the past few decades. In the 1970s, the structure often represented a larger portion of the total value, but land values in major California cities have appreciated much faster than construction costs.
Would you like me to elaborate on any particular aspect of this value distribution?
## Prompt:
In that case, if the home burns down does it cost roughly the same as the market value of the structure to rebuild a similar structure?
## Response:
Not exactly - reconstruction costs are typically significantly higher than the market value of the existing structure portion of the property. Here's why:
Individual vs. Scale Construction: Building a single home is much more expensive per square foot than building many homes at once (as in original tract development)
Site Constraints: Working on an existing lot with established utilities, neighbors, and possibly difficult access is more complex than new construction on empty land
Current Building Codes: New construction must meet current codes, which are typically more stringent and expensive to implement than when the original house was built
Demolition/Site Prep: There are additional costs to clear the burned structure and prepare the site
Permitting Complexity: Rebuilding on an existing lot often involves more complex permitting than new tract construction
As a rough estimate, if the "structure portion" of the property value was $300,000, the actual cost to rebuild a similar home might be $450,000-600,000 or even more, depending on local conditions and current construction costs.
This is one reason why replacement cost coverage in homeowner's insurance often needs to be significantly higher than what might seem to be the "structure value" portion of the property's market value.
## Prompt:
If the home owner rebuilds, does the property get reassessed at build cost?
## Response:
No - under California law, if you rebuild a home that was destroyed by disaster (like fire), the rebuilt structure is not reassessed to current market value or build cost as long as:
The new structure is substantially similar to the destroyed one
Construction begins within 5 years of the disaster
The owner was not responsible for starting the fire
This falls under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 70(c) - commonly called "like-kind replacement." The new structure keeps the old structure's Proposition 13 base year value plus allowed annual increases (maximum 2% per year), even if it costs much more to rebuild.
However, if you make significant improvements beyond the original structure (like adding square footage or upgrading from a single story to two stories), the additional value beyond "substantially similar" would be reassessed at current value.
This protection is important for disaster victims since, as we discussed, rebuilding costs are typically much higher than the original structure's assessed value under Proposition 13.
Diddy's house exploded, leaving a dense cloud of baby oil and plastic dildo dust over West LA.
An overwhelming 95% of California’s wildfires are manmade. It’s NOT true that half the fires are started by Mother Nature or acts of God. And it’s NOT kinda-sorta true either. 95% is an absolute landslide!
John Abatzoglou, a climatology professor from the University of California, has studied 30 years of wildfires in Los Angeles County. After examining the data, he was unequivocable: “More than 95% of these [California fires] are human-ignited fires.”
Abatzoglou added that arson is among the leading causes, but most fires are started accidentally.
https://celiafarber.substack.com/p/how-a-sanctuary-city-became-an-inferno
Patrick says
https://celiafarber.substack.com/p/how-a-sanctuary-city-became-an-inferno
I wonder who copied who?
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What was Lahaina 2.0?
https://patrick.net/post/1382174/2024-09-30-lahaina-2-0