CHAPTER 6. Earthquake and Fire Disaster Relief [197. - 198.1.]

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC 6.
in effect

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 197. Section 197.

As used in this chapter: (a) “Eligible county” means a county which meets both of the following requirements: (1) Has been proclaimed by the Governor to be in a state of disaster as a result of the earthquake and aftershocks which occurred in California during October 1989. (2) Has adopted an ordinance providing property tax relief for earthquake, aftershock, and fire disaster victims as provided in Section 170. (b) “Eligible property” means real property and any manufactured home, including any new construction which was completed or any change in ownership which occurred prior to October 17, 1989, which meets both of the following requirements: (1) Is located in an eligible county. (2) Has sustained substantial disaster damage due to the earthquake or aftershocks occurring during 1989, which earthquake and aftershocks resulted in the issuance of disaster proclamations by the Governor. “Eligible property” does not include any real property or any manufactured home, whether or not it otherwise qualifies as eligible property, if that real property or manufactured home was purchased or otherwise acquired by a claimant for relief under this chapter after October 17, 1989. (c) “Substantial disaster damage,” as to real property located in a county declared to be a disaster by the Governor as a result of the earthquake and aftershocks occurring in October 1989, means, with respect to real property and any manufactured home which has received the homeowners’ exemption or is eligible for the exemption as of March 1, 1989, damage amounting to at least 10 percent of its fair market value or five thousand dollars ($5,000), whichever is less; and, with respect to other property, damage to the parcel of at least 20 percent of its fair market value immediately preceding the disaster causing the damage. (d) “Fair market value” means “full cash value” or “fair market value” as defined in Section 110. (e) “Property tax deferral claim” means a claim filed by the owner of eligible property in conjunction with or in addition to the filing of an application for reassessment of that property pursuant to Section 170, which enables the owner to defer payment of the December 10, 1989, installment of taxes on property on the regular secured roll for the 1989–90 fiscal year, as provided in Section 197.1, or to defer payment of taxes on property on the supplemental roll for the 1989–90 fiscal year, as provided in Section 197.9.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 197.1. Section 197.1.

(a) Any owner of eligible property who files on or before December 10, 1989, a claim for reassessment pursuant to Section 170 may apply to the county assessor to defer payment of the first installment of property taxes on the regular secured roll for the 1989–90 fiscal year with respect to that property which are due no later than December 10, 1989. If a timely claim is filed, the payment shall be deferred without penalty or interest until the assessor has reassessed the property and a corrected bill prepared pursuant to the provisions of Section 170 has been sent to the property owner. Taxes deferred pursuant to this section are due 30 days after receipt by the owner of the corrected tax bill and if unpaid thereafter are delinquent as provided in Section 2610.5 and shall be subject to the penalty provided by law. (b) If, following reassessment pursuant to subdivision (a), the assessor determines that an owner who applied and was granted a deferral of property taxes did not file the claim in good faith, the owner shall be assessed a delinquency penalty for the nonpayment of the deferred taxes. (c) The provisions of this section do not apply to property taxes paid through impound accounts.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 197.2. Section 197.2.

On or before January 15, 1990, the tax collector of an eligible county shall certify to the Director of Finance the total amount of the first installment of property taxes for all eligible property on both the regular secured roll and the supplemental roll for the 1989–90 fiscal year which were deferred pursuant to Section 197.1.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 197.3. Section 197.3.

If an eligible county has adopted an ordinance in accordance with Section 197.9, the tax collector shall certify to the Director of Finance on or before January 31, 1990, the total amount of supplemental roll property tax deferral claims submitted pursuant to Section 197.9 to the county by 5 p.m. on December 10, 1989.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 197.4. Section 197.4.

After the tax collector of an eligible county has made the applicable certification to the Director of Finance pursuant to Section 197.2, the director shall, within 30 days and after verification, certify this amount to the Controller for allocation to the county. Upon receipt of certification by the Director of Finance, the Controller shall make the appropriate allocation to the county within 10 working days thereafter.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 197.5. Section 197.5.

On or before December 31, 1990, each eligible county shall compute and remit to the Controller for deposit in the General Fund an amount equal to the amount allocated to it by the Controller pursuant to Section 197.4, less the amount of its property tax revenue lost in the 1989–90 fiscal year with respect to eligible properties as a result of the reassessment pursuant to Section 170 of that property. If the amount computed pursuant to this section for an eligible county is less than zero, the Controller shall allocate that amount to the county.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 197.6. Section 197.6.

On or before December 31, 1990, each eligible county which has adopted an ordinance in accordance with Section 197.9, shall compute and remit to the Controller for deposit in the General Fund an amount equal to the amount allocated to it by the Controller pursuant to Section 197.4, less the amount of its supplemental roll property tax revenue lost in the 1989–90 fiscal year with respect to eligible properties as the result of reassessment pursuant to Section 170 of that property. If the amount computed pursuant to this section for an eligible county is less than zero, the Controller shall allocate that amount to the county.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 197.9. Section 197.9.

Each eligible county may adopt an ordinance to permit the deferral of unpaid nondelinquent 1989–90 fiscal year supplemental roll taxes on eligible property reassessed pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 75) of Part 0. 5 if the owner files a claim for deferral on or before December 10, 1989, with the assessor. Taxes deferred pursuant to this section shall be due on the last day of the month following the month in which the corrected bill is mailed or the delinquent date of the first installment of the original bill, whichever is later.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 198. Section 198.

The Department of Finance shall establish guidelines in carrying out this chapter. These guidelines shall include a procedure for the review of claims submitted by an eligible county to the Department of Finance. Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, these standards shall not be subject to the review and approval of the Office of Administrative Law.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 198.1. Section 198.1.

Any eligible county may adopt an ordinance providing for the temporary postponement of the April 10, 1990, installment of taxes on property on the regular secured roll for the 1989–90 fiscal year until December 10, 1990, and, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the further postponement of the December 10, 1989, installment of taxes on property on the regular secured roll for the 1988–89 fiscal year until December 10, 1990. The state shall provide no reimbursement payments to local jurisdictions for the postponement of property taxes pursuant to this section.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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