Seniors Living in Mobile Homes Get Help with Property Tax Postponement

Sacramento – Affordable housing in California is increasingly scarce and almost impossible to obtain, especially for seniors living on a fixed income. California’s Property Tax Postponement Program allows homeowners who are seniors, are blind, or have a disability to defer current-year property taxes on their principal residence if they meet certain criteria. However, mobilehomes, a common source of housing for seniors, did not make the cut to be in the program when it became available again in 2014. Board of Equalization Vice Chair Fiona Ma, CPA sponsored legislation, Senate Bill 1130 (SB 1130), with Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino) to add mobilehomes to the State Property Tax Postponement Program to help seniors stay in their homes.  

“My office received several phone calls from constituents who didn’t understand why they were being discriminated against based on where they chose to live. I refuse to stand by while some of my most vulnerable constituents lose out on a support system that would keep them in their homes,” said Vice Chair of the California State Board of Equalization Fiona Ma, CPA.

According to statistics from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, there are 5,235 active mobile home and RV parks, totaling 393,369 lots/spaces. More families are purchasing mobile homes to afford housing in California’s expensive real estate market, especially as they try to rebuild their lives following the devastating wildfires raging throughout California.

“As chair of the Senate Select Committee on Manufactured Home Communities, I appreciate Board Member Fiona Ma’s continued support for Senate Bill 1130, which will allow vulnerable residents to stay in their homes. By reinstating manufactured homes into the state’s Property Tax Postponement Program, we are taking an important step to ensure that these residents receive assistance when they need it the most.  Just as SB 1130 has passed the Legislature with strong bipartisan support, I am hopeful that the Governor will also stand alongside seniors and disabled mobilehome owners so that they do not risk losing their home when have trouble paying their property taxes,” said Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino).

The Property Tax Postponement Program, first enacted in 1977, originally provided property tax relief to eligible senior citizens, and was later expanded to include blind and disabled persons. Under the program, eligible Californians submit an application to the State Controller’s Office from October 1st to February 10th of each year and will be processed in the order received. Once approved, the State Controller pays the deferred amount to the county and recovers payment by securing a lien on the property, ensuring repayment of deferred property taxes with accrued interest upon sale of the home, when the title changes hands, or when the homeowner has died or moved.

Send your letter of support, email, or call the Governor at 916-445-2841 to urge him to sign this bill to safeguard disabled persons and seniors from losing their homes due to tax payments that are more than they can financially handle.

For more information on the State Controller’s Property Tax Postponement Program, visit www.sco.ca.gov/ardtax_prop_tax_postponement.html. For more information about property taxes for manufactured homes, visit the California State Board of Equalization’s website at www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/faqs/manfacthomes.htm. For information on the Department of Housing and Community Development Fee and Tax Waiver Mobilehome Registration Program, visitwww.hcd.ca.gov/manufactured-mobile-home/registration-titling/587.shtml.