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Los Angeles County says tech, training cut appeals backlog and boosted online filings
Summary
Los Angeles County Assessment Appeals Board officials told the Board of Equalization work group that a 2022 process-improvement program, training, scheduling analytics and IT changes reduced backlog, increased online appeals and shortened scheduling times, though complex cases and staffing gaps remain.
Los Angeles County officials told the Board of Equalization work group that county reforms since 2022 have substantially shortened scheduling times for assessment appeals and increased electronic filing, but a sizable share of remaining cases are complex and require multi‑hearing attention.
Jennifer Tran, deputy executive officer for the Los Angeles County Assessment Appeals Board, said the county combined training, scheduling analytics and IT changes after hiring a consultant in 2022 to address a backlog and process inefficiencies. “After publishing a video tutorial on how to file an appeal electronically, nearly 50% of the total applications received are now filed online,” Tran said. She added that average time to schedule new applications fell to about five months from receipt, a roughly 50% reduction from pre‑2022 levels.
The county also implemented e‑forms, digitized records and executive dashboards to track open appeals and continuance drivers. Tran described cross‑training staff and quarterly trainings for board members and hearing officers that include case law and valuation studies led by county counsel and outside experts. She said these changes helped reduce a prior continuance rate of 65% to about 47% in the most recent year for many case types, though the current overall continuance rate remains elevated because remaining backlog cases tend to be more complex.
County officials told the work group that improvements included a new case management system, video tutorials with closed‑captioning, monthly virtual public education seminars and a planned telephone system replacement to support more interactive functions. Tran said the county closed roughly 80% of the open backlog that dated to 2022 by March 2025 and reported more than 27,000 total open applications as of April 25, of which about 57% were for the current year.
Work group members asked how the state Board of Equalization could help. Tran recommended standardized state training for board members and hearing officers to improve consistency across counties. She also said enhanced online portals and replacement of legacy systems remain priorities. The county noted a continuing need for additional permanent staff: “Currently, approximately 35% of our staff are temporary or contractual employees,” Tran said.
The presentation and subsequent questions underscored that gains have been made through targeted training and automation, but that staffing shortfalls and a subset of legally complex or litigated cases continue to drive scheduling delays.
Officials said they would share follow‑up materials and that some technical upgrades (telephone/e‑forms/data exchange) are scheduled for near‑term implementation.
