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County assessor briefs West Covina on 2026 assessment roll; urges homeowners to apply for homeowner's exemption
Summary
Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang presented the 2026 assessment roll, reported a countywide assessed-value increase higher than earlier projections, explained Proposition 19 portability and inheritance changes, and promoted the homeowner alert and online services including property-owner profiles.
Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang visited the West Covina City Council meeting on July 7 to summarize the county's 2026 assessment roll, outline recent policy changes and highlight services for homeowners and small businesses.
Prang told the council his office completed the 2026 assessment roll and reported final countywide growth of about 4.42%, slightly higher than earlier projections. He said West Covina's assessed value grew roughly 3.4% for 2026, adding about $552 million to assessed value in the city and placing total net assessed value near $16.8 billion.
Prang summarized Proposition 19, the 2019 state change that allows homeowners 55 and older (and certain disaster victims and severely disabled homeowners) to transfer their tax base to a replacement home and explained limits on inherited property transfers. “Under Prop 19 the only property you can inherit and maintain the tax base is your parents' primary residence,” he said, and noted heirs must move into the home within 12 months and file the homeowner's exemption to qualify.
Prang emphasized that many eligible residents are not receiving the homeowner's exemption because they have not applied; he urged homeowners to check their status and use the assessor's online services. He also described county actions for small businesses: the Board of Supervisors raised the personal property assessment threshold from $5,000 to $10,000 (the legal maximum), a change the assessor said will relieve roughly 43,000 small businesses across Los Angeles County from filing small-equipment assessments.
The assessor also described the new homeowner-alert program, which notifies registered property owners by email within 48 hours if a document is recorded on their deed, a tool Prang framed as protection against title fraud. Prang closed by encouraging residents to sign up for assessor e-services and to visit the information table available at the meeting.
Council members thanked Prang and asked procedural questions about the homeowners' exemption and the application timeframe; Prang clarified the exemption only applies prospectively and cannot be applied retroactively.
The council received the presentation and directed residents to the assessor's website (assessor.lacounty.gov) and the handouts left on the information table at the back of the council chambers.
