Category: Resources

Opponents of Proposition 15 claimed it would “impose massive property tax increases” on solar in California if voters approve it in November.

The solar industry and independent tax experts say that’s wrong.

That’s because a new state law protects commercial solar projects from property tax increases through 2024 should the measure win.

Residential solar is already exempt.

While the solar industry and tax experts believe the state law is legally sound, the California Assessors’ Association disagrees.

This report examines the factors that determine commercial rents in 12 California counties. It explores the relationship between commercial and industrial rents and the reassessment of commercial property values, accounting for other factors that shape rents.

Commercial rents are driven by location, local market conditions, the nature of a local economy (high-wage areas are associated with higher rents), and building age and size.

For average commercial properties, reassessments do not increase rents. Office buildings have a small relationship between reassessments and rents. Reassessing a 20-year-old office building to current market value could lead to a one-time rent increase of roughly 2%.