Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector Keith Knox announced this week that his office will be taking requests to cancel penalties and fees related to property tax for landlords who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic tenant protections.
The delinquency date for landlords to pay their property tax is April 11. Landlords who are unable to pay before this date will be able to file for this relief if the reason for missed or late payments is related to the county’s COVID-19 Tenant Protections resolution, according to a statement from Knox’s office released Wednesday.
“Landlords who have not been able to collect rent may not be in a position to meet their property tax obligations,” Knox said in the statement. “Under state law, my office has the authority to consider requests under these circumstances to cancel penalties, costs, interest and fees associated with late property tax payments.”
The Tenant Protections resolution was initially passed in April 2020 in an effort to curb anticipated high levels of evictions following the rapid increase of unemployment caused by the pandemic. It protected renters from no-fault evictions, provided rent increase freezes, and as of April 1 will prevent evictions for non-payment of rent.
According to a 2021 survey done by UCLA and USC, 49% of L.A. County renters were unable to pay all of their rent during the pandemic and that $2,800 was the median amount they owed to their landlords. The survey also suggested that across the county renters owed landlords about $3 billion.
Knox’s office also strongly suggested that landlords apply for the Mortgage Relief Program, which can provide up to $30,000 in grants for qualified applicants.
Landlords can complete a penalty cancellation request at bit.ly/3tT8gaj. Information on the Mortgage Relief Program bit.ly/3JZQmbr.
