San Diego tax roll hits record high despite COVID

SAN DIEGO – San Diego County Assessor Ernest J. Dronenburg, Jr. has certified and closed the 2021 assessed value roll of all taxable property with a record-setting high $627.25 billon value, reflecting a 3.72% increase (or $22.5 billion) over last year. The 2021 assessment roll is based on assessed values as of January 1, 2021.

Property tax reductions for those values affected by COVID‑19 government restrictions were reflected in this 2021 assessment roll. The roll consisted of 1,006,991 real estate parcels, 54,148 business personal property accounts, 13,312 boats, and 1,550 aircraft. The roll’s total net assessed value is $602.06 billion after deducting $25.19 billion for a record-high reduction resulting in over $250 million in property tax savings for homeowners, disabled veterans, and charitable organizations.

Dronenburg commented, “The 2021 property tax roll reflects the great work my team did with our key partners, proactively reaching out to small business and property owners impacted by COVID-19 to help them qualify for $1.1 billion in assessed value reductions for property tax relief.”

Dronenburg further noted, “The 2021 property tax roll highlights that Proposition 13 delivered on its key promises. First, that taxpayers be protected from unaffordable property taxes due to skyrocketing real estate values that could cause them to lose their homes. Second, it provided for the ninth year in a row a reliable and increased government funding source for key services like schools and first responders, insulating them from the current COVID-19 pandemic.”

Dronenburg concluded, “Thanks to Proposition 13, no homeowner should lose their home due to unaffordable property taxes and no government should lack funding due to the pandemic.”

The 2021 assessment roll reflected a record-high property tax savings of over $250 million for taxpayers. The Assessor’s outreach program, led by Taxpayer Advocate Jordan Marks along with the exemptions’ staff, qualified 471,161 homeowners for over $32 million in savings from the Homeowners’ Exemption, 11,983 San Diego County disabled veterans for over $17 million in savings using the Disabled Veterans’ Exemption, and 5,148 welfare institutions, such as, schools, churches, museums, and non-profits for over $201 million in property tax savings.

Highlights From the 2021 Assessment Roll

• San Diego County set a record high of over $627 billion in assessed value.

• Qualified property owners for $1.1 billion in COVID-19 related assessed value reductions.

• Qualcomm is San Diego County’s first property taxpayer to have one of their property’s assessed value enrolled on the tax roll for over $1 billion.

• Assessor qualified a record-high 11,983 San Diego County disabled veterans for property tax savings, totaling over $17 million.

• Eighty-six percent of property owners received a 1.036% inflation adjustment, limited by Proposition 13’s protective cap, despite skyrocketing home values rising 10.7%.

• Proposition 13’s inflationary increase of 1.036% produced an additional $5.41 billion in assessed value to fund schools, libraries, parks, and other public services.

• City of Lemon Grove realized the highest assessed value growth rate at 6.08%.

• National City saw the lowest growth rate at 2.60%. (It saw the highest last year at 7.10%.)

• City of San Diego had the largest value increase, adding $9.9 billion or 3.39%.

Assessor Dronenburg expressed special appreciation for his staff’s hard work and dedication to closing the 2021 assessment roll on time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dronenburg remarked, “I applaud my extraordinary Assessor staff for their extra efforts and fortitude making sure we closed the tax roll as promised during this unprecedented challenging time.”

*Total assessed value of the unincorporated area grew by 4.39%.

Submitted by the San Diego County Assessor Ernest J. Dronenburg, Jr.