Tax Collector Announces Program To Prevent Seniors From Losing Homes

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Cohen Monday announced a five-pillar program intended to help eligible senior homeowners keep their homes.

The Senior Safe Harbor Program is intended to help those 65 and older navigate property-tax hardships and access available assistance.

"Older adults who have worked hard to keep their homes should know where to turn when they encounter financial or medical hardships that make paying their property taxes difficult," Cohen said. "Senior Safe Harbor is about meeting seniors where they are, helping them navigate the system and connecting them with available resources before they reach a crisis point. We want seniors and their families to know that help may be available, and we want to make it easier to find."

Cohen said the program will help seniors with "personalized assistance and proactive outreach" to prevent financial hardship from becoming a crisis.

The five pillars of the program are:

-- Priority Review Lane: Eligible seniors will have access to a dedicated contact and an expedited review process for property-tax concerns -- with a targeted response or resolution time of 10 business days;

-- Medical Hardship Support: Those experiencing a qualifying medical hardship may request cancellation of property-tax penalties under state law, with each request evaluated based on the circumstances and legal requirements;

-- Proactive Payment-Plan Outreach: Reaching out to seniors with deadlines approaching to help them understand their property-tax obligations, available options and actions they can take to avoid preventable complications that could put their homes at risk;

-- Senior-Focused Outreach and Education: Cohen's office will work with community-based organizations, aging-services providers and other partners to share resource information, intended to reach seniors who do not use the internet or have limited access to online information; and

-- Property Tax Relief Fund: A potential fund to provide one-time assistance to senior homeowners "experiencing extraordinary financial hardship" preventing them from paying property taxes.

The program builds on the authority the Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office already has, adding additional pathways for help.

"The program does not eliminate the underlying property-tax obligation or guarantee that penalties will be canceled, financial assistance will be awarded or foreclosure will be prevented," a statement from Cohen's office read. "Rather, it establishes additional ways for eligible seniors to seek help, understand their responsibilities and explore available options based on their individual circumstances."

— City News Service