Section 218 Of Article 1. Taxable And Exempt Property From California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 1. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 1.
218
. (a) The homeowners' property tax exemption is in the amount of
the assessed value of the dwelling specified in this section, as
authorized by subdivision (k) of Section 3 of Article XIII of the
California Constitution. That exemption shall be in the amount of
seven thousand dollars ($7,000) of the full value of the dwelling.
(b) (1) The exemption does not extend to property that is rented,
vacant, under construction on the lien date, or that is a vacation or
secondary home of the owner or owners, nor does it apply to property
on which an owner receives the veteran's exemption.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if a person receiving the
exemption is not occupying the dwelling on the lien date because the
dwelling was damaged in a misfortune or calamity, the person shall be
deemed to occupy that same dwelling as his or her principal place of
residence on the lien date, provided the person's absence from the
dwelling is temporary and the person intends to return to the
dwelling when possible to do so. Except as provided in paragraph (3),
when a dwelling has been totally destroyed, and thus no dwelling
exists on the lien date, the exemption provided by this section shall
not be applicable until the structure has been replaced and is
occupied as a dwelling.
(3) A dwelling that was totally destroyed in a disaster for which
the Governor proclaimed a state of emergency, that qualified for the
exemption provided by this section prior to the commencement date of
the disaster and that has not changed ownership since the
commencement date of the disaster, shall be deemed occupied by the
person receiving the exemption on the lien date provided the person
intends to reconstruct a dwelling on the property and occupy the
dwelling as his or her principal place of residence when it is
possible to do so.
(c) For purposes of this section, all of the following apply:
(1) "Owner" includes a person purchasing the dwelling under a
contract of sale or who holds shares or membership in a cooperative
housing corporation, which holding is a requisite to the exclusive
right of occupancy of a dwelling.
(2) (A) "Dwelling" means a building, structure, or other shelter
constituting a place of abode, whether real property or personal
property, and any land on which it may be situated. A two-dwelling
unit shall be considered as two separate single-family dwellings.
(B) "Dwelling" includes the following:
(i) A single-family dwelling occupied by an owner thereof as his
or her principal place of residence on the lien date.
(ii) A multiple-dwelling unit occupied by an owner thereof on the
lien date as his or her principal place of residence.
(iii) A condominium occupied by an owner thereof as his or her
principal place of residence on the lien date.
(iv) Premises occupied by the owner of shares or a membership
interest in a cooperative housing corporation, as defined in
subdivision (i) of Section 61, as his or her principal place of
residence on the lien date. Each exemption allowed pursuant to this
subdivision shall be deducted from the total assessed valuation of
the cooperative housing corporation. The exemption shall be taken
into account in apportioning property taxes among owners of share or
membership interests in the cooperative housing corporations so as to
benefit those owners who qualify for the exemption.
(d) The exemption provided for in subdivision (k) of Section 3 of
Article XIII of the California Constitution shall first be applied to
the building, structure, or other shelter and the excess, if any,
shall be applied to any land on which it may be located.