Did February take your property by storm? The Marin County assessor’s office reminded residents last week that they might be eligible for property tax relief. Under an ongoing program, residents are eligible if they suffered losses of $10,000 or more and apply within one year of the damage. “Emergency relief is for what we assess as real property, for example the house, a retaining wall, a pool, a wall—the land itself,” Shane Blair, the office’s chief of assessment systems, explained. “It is not for personal property, such as a car.” Statewide, the assessed value of a home corresponds to its value the year the current homeowner purchased it with up to 2 percent added each subsequent year to account for inflation. (As a result, the assessed value is often below market value.) Mr. Blair explained that if a homeowner qualifies for assistance, the office will lower the assessed value by the corresponding percentage of damage, resulting in lower taxes. The adjustment is temporary, expiring after the property owner repairs the damages. So far this year, the county has received 23 applications from property owners who suffered from the storms, including from floods and slides. None of the applicants hailed from West Marin. Residents must apply within 12 months of the damage, but in some cases, Mr. Blair said, it makes sense to get an estimate of the damage from home insurance companies before applying for county aid. A form is available at marincounty.org/depts/ar/divisions/assessor/exclusions/calamity. Additional information may be obtained from the Office of Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk at (415) 473.7215.