Assessment Roll Rises 17.4% in Agoura Hills

The construction of new homes has led to a 17.4% jump in the Agoura Hills assessment roll, giving the newly formed city the third-largest valuation increase of any in Los Angeles County, Tax Assessor Alexander Pope said Tuesday.

The assessed valuation of property in the eight-square-mile city west of the San Fernando Valley is $854 million. Overall, the county’s assessment roll totals $259 billion--or three times that of New York City, Pope said.

The county’s assessed valuation increased by $21.1 billion, or 9.6%, over last year, Pope said. The City of Los Angeles’ increase was 10.5%, San Fernando’s was 12.8%, Burbank’s was 11.2% and Hidden Hills’ was 6.9%--much of it because of the resale of homes, he said.

The assessor said his office does not do valuations for specific communities, such as Chatsworth or Van Nuys, within Los Angeles city limits.

Pope singled out the expensive Morrison Ranch residential subdivision as having the largest effect on Agoura Hills’ increase.

Walnut in the San Gabriel Valley and Palmdale topped the list of cities showing the highest jump in assessments for 1985, he said.

Commercial and industrial property reassessments made up $96.8 billion, or 39.5%, of the county roll, Pope said. Apartment complexes accounted for $32.7 billion, or 13.3% percent, of the roll.

The county, cities and special districts collect tax revenues based on Pope’s assessments.