Cal. RTC § 70.5 — California Code / Code rtc / Division 1 / Part 0.5 / Chapter 3 / Section 70.5
Section 70.5
Status: in_force

(a) Notwithstanding Section 70, and pursuant to Section 2 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution, the base year value of property that is substantially damaged or destroyed by a disaster, as declared by the Governor, may be applied to replacement property reconstructed on the site of the damaged or destroyed property within five years after the disaster as a replacement for the substantially damaged or destroyed property if that reconstructed property is comparable to the substantially damaged or destroyed property. A person who owns substantially damaged or destroyed property that receives property tax relief under this section shall not be eligible for property tax relief provided under Section 69.

(b) (1) The replacement base year value of the reconstructed property shall be determined in accordance with this section.

(2) The assessor shall use the following procedure in determining the appropriate base year value of the reconstructed property:

(A) If the full cash value of the reconstructed property does not exceed 120 percent of the full cash value of the property substantially damaged or destroyed, then the adjusted base year value of the property substantially damaged or destroyed shall apply to the reconstructed property as its base year value.

(B) If the full cash value of the reconstructed property exceeds 120 percent of the full cash value of the property substantially damaged or destroyed, then the amount of the full cash value over 120 percent of the full cash value of the property substantially damaged or destroyed shall be added to the adjusted base year value of the original property substantially damaged or destroyed. The sum of these amounts shall become the reconstructed property’s base year value.

(C) If the full cash value of the reconstructed property is less than the adjusted base year value of the original property substantially damaged or destroyed, then that lower value shall become the reconstructed property’s base year value.

(D) The full cash value of the property substantially damaged or destroyed shall be the amount of its full cash value immediately prior to its substantial damage or destruction, as determined by the county assessor of the county in which the property is located.

(c) For purposes of this section:

(1) Property is substantially damaged or destroyed if the improvements sustain physical damage amounting to more than 50 percent of the improvements’ full cash value immediately prior to the disaster.

(2) Reconstructed property shall be considered comparable to the original property substantially damaged or destroyed if it is similar in size, utility, and function to the property which it replaces. For purposes of this paragraph:

(A) Property is similar in function if the reconstructed property is subject to similar governmental restrictions, such as zoning.

(B) (i) Both the size and utility of property are interrelated and associated with value. Property shall be considered similar in size and utility only to the extent that the reconstructed property is, or is intended to be, used in the same manner as the original property substantially damaged or destroyed and its full cash value does not exceed 120 percent of the full cash value of the original property substantially damaged or destroyed.

(ii) A reconstructed property or any portion of reconstructed property used or intended to be used for a purpose substantially different than the use made of the original property substantially damaged or destroyed shall to the extent of the dissimilar use be considered not similar in utility.

(iii) A reconstructed property or any portion of reconstructed property that satisfies the use requirement but has a full cash value that exceeds 120 percent of the full cash value of the original property substantially damaged or destroyed shall be considered, to the extent of the excess, not similar in utility and size.

(C) To the extent that reconstructed property or any portion of reconstructed property is not similar in function, size, and utility, the property or portion of that property shall be considered to be newly constructed.

(3) “Disaster” means a major misfortune or calamity in an area subsequently proclaimed by the Governor to be in a state of disaster as a result of that misfortune or calamity.

(d) Only the owner or owners of the property substantially damaged or destroyed, whether one or more individuals, partnerships, corporations, other legal entities, or a combination thereof, shall be eligible to receive property tax relief under this section. Relief under this section shall be granted to an owner or owners of substantially damaged or destroyed property who have reconstructed that property.

(e) (1) Notwithstanding any law, the time period specified in subdivision (a) to apply the base year value of qualified property to replacement property reconstructed on the site of the damaged or destroyed property is extended by three years if the qualified property was substantially damaged or destroyed on or after November 1, 2018, but on or before November 30, 2018.

(2) This subdivision shall apply to the determination of base year values for the 2018–19 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter.

(3) For purposes of this subdivision, “qualified property” means property that was substantially damaged or destroyed, as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), by the 2018 Woolsey Fire disaster or by the 2018 Camp Fire disaster, as proclaimed by the Governor.

(f) (1) Notwithstanding any law, the time period specified in subdivision (a) to apply the base year value of qualified property to replacement property reconstructed on the site of the damaged or destroyed property is extended by three years if the qualified property was substantially damaged or destroyed on or after November 1, 2024, but before February 1, 2025.

(2) This subdivision shall apply to the determination of base year values for the 2025–26 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter.

(3) For purposes of this subdivision, “qualified property” means property that was substantially damaged or destroyed, as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), by the 2025 Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, Hurst Fire, Lidia Fire, Sunset Fire, or Woodley Fire, or the 2024 Mountain Fire or Franklin Fire, for which the Governor proclaimed a state of emergency.

(g) This section shall apply to real property damaged or destroyed by misfortune or calamity on or after January 1, 2017.