The Los Angeles County Assessor's Office received three top national achievement awards from the National Association of Counties, recognizing innovation in government programs that improved public access and transparency.
The NACo Achievement Awards for 2025 highlighted the office's efforts to strengthen communities and enhance residents' lives, particularly during crisis situations.
The office was recognized for three major initiatives:
Technology Modernization The Assessor's Office completed a transition to a new $120 million cloud-based technology system, marking a major milestone in the department's decade-long modernization effort. The Assessor's Modernization Project replaced outdated legacy programs with an integrated digital platform.
The new system replaced a decades-old DOS-based mainframe that featured green screens. The county's 2.5 million property files, previously kept as paper documents, have been digitized.
Since implementation, the system has enhanced cybersecurity and real-time data access while improving internal operations and public engagement.
Online Disaster Relief Filing Property owners previously were required to submit paper applications for disaster-related tax relief, a time-consuming process that proved prohibitive after emergencies.
The January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires affected thousands of property owners and highlighted inefficiencies in the existing system. The Assessor's Office launched a secure digital process allowing property owners to submit disaster relief claims through an online portal using computers, smartphones or other mobile devices.
Property owners can monitor their claims' status as they move through the system. The Public Affairs and Information Technology divisions collaborated to build the system, resulting in thousands of property owners receiving property tax relief and cash refunds.
Data Science Program The Assessor's Data Science Program is a data-driven initiative aimed at improving transparency, equity and accuracy in property assessments across Los Angeles County. The program analyzes property ownership trends and provides policymakers with insights for fairer decisions.
Traditional assessment tools failed to capture complexities in real estate data, prompting the office to pursue a more sophisticated approach. The program has revealed key housing market trends that now guide policy discussions around equitable homeownership access.
Los Angeles County is among the first in California to integrate socio-economic research with property data at this scale.
"These awards are a testament not just to innovation, but to the dedication of public servants working every day to deliver smarter, more responsive government," said Assessor Jeff Prang.
Edited by SMDP Staff