The Mills Act Application Form is the application packet of the City of Riverside Planning Division, part of the Community & Economic Development Department, for owners who want a Mills Act contract on a designated historic property. It includes a Property Tax Adjustment Worksheet that estimates the reduction in your Riverside property tax and a Ten Year Rehabilitation Plan. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the city publishes the original packet and receives applications only through its own process, described below.
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What is Mills Act Application Form – Riverside, CA?
The Mills Act Application Form is the City of Riverside Planning Division application packet that owners of designated historic properties use to apply for a Mills Act contract, with a tax adjustment worksheet and a ten-year plan for property improvements.
The packet has four parts. The application page records the property address, Assessor's Parcel Number(s), property use, owner contact information and the historic designation. The Property Tax Adjustment Worksheet is a fillable PDF that completes its own calculations: it works from estimated rental income, allowed expenses and a capitalization rate to a Mills Act assessed value and an estimated tax reduction. The Ten Year Rehabilitation Plan lists a proposed project and estimated cost for each of ten years, and is attached to the Historic Property Preservation Agreement (Mills Act Contract) as Exhibit D. The last page lists potential projects.
After the contract is recorded, the owner submits annual reports on completed projects with photographs, receipts and building permits where applicable. The city inspects the interior and exterior before approving new contracts and at least every five years afterward. The city's packet warns that significant penalties may be imposed for breach of contract or failure to maintain the property. The Mills Act applies only to general levy property taxes.
Who needs to file Mills Act Application Form – Riverside, CA?
Owners of a property in the City of Riverside that is a designated historic resource listed on a city, county, state or federal register use this application. The packet names the qualifying designations: City Landmark, City Structure of Merit, Contributor to a designated Historic District or Neighborhood Conservation Area (NCA), County Landmark, State Point of Historical Interest, National Register and National Historic Landmark.
- If you are unsure whether your property has one of these designations, or want to seek designation, the Planning Division asks you to contact it. Designation information is also in the city's Historic Sites Inventory at https://riversideca.gov/cedd/planning/historic-preservation/historic-sites-inventory-studies.
- Residential and commercial owners both apply. Commercial applicants must add a rent roll and maintenance records to back up the worksheet.
- All parties listed on the grant deed, and their spouses, must appear at the Community & Economic Development Department in October to sign the contract.
The packet describes no eligibility for properties without a designation.
When to file Mills Act Application Form – Riverside, CA
Applications are accepted from January 1st through the last business day in May and must be submitted by 5:00 pm on that day. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The city allocates an average of fifteen and no more than twenty Mills Act contracts per year, on average thirteen residential and two commercial; all may be residential if no commercial applications are filed. If more applications arrive than contracts are available, properties are randomly selected.
After submission, Cultural Heritage Board staff review the application and may request changes to the ten-year plan. Staff contact you during August to schedule the initial inspection. Contracts go to the City Council for approval in October, and an approved contract is recorded on your property title with the county by the end of the calendar year.
Documents you need
- Completed Mills Act Application Form, including the Property Tax Adjustment Worksheet and the Ten-Year Plan for Property Improvements.
- Grant deed or title report, with the legal description of the property, showing that you are the property owner.
- Copy of your current property tax statement or coupons.
- Non-refundable application fee, submitted with the application; ask the Planning Division for the amount.
- Contract initiation fee check, post-dated November 1 of the current year; ask the Planning Division for the amount.
- Breakdown on a separate sheet for other operating expenses and for management costs beyond the standard figures on the worksheet.
- Commercial properties only: a rent roll, including rent for an on-site manager's unit as income where applicable.
- Commercial properties only: maintenance records with a detailed breakdown; all costs should recur annually.
How to fill out Mills Act Application Form – Riverside, CA
Enter property information
On the application page, write the property address, Assessor's Parcel Number(s) and property use.
Enter owner contact details
Under CONTACT INFORMATION, give the property owner's name, address, city, state, ZIP, mobile number and email.
Sign the agent authorization
Sign and date next to the statement authorizing the City of Riverside to act as your agent for recording the Mills Act contract.
Mark the historic designation
Under PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY, check your designation, enter the Date of Designation and, for a district or NCA, the name of the district or NCA.
Estimate rental income
On the worksheet, enter the estimated monthly rental income even if the property is owner-occupied; the form multiplies it by 12 for annual rental income.
Enter annual expenses
Fill in insurance, utilities, maintenance, management and other operating expenses. Exclude general levy property taxes, and list a breakdown of other expenses on a separate sheet.
Complete the capitalization rate
Enter the structure value and full value from your most recent property tax statement, and enter 20 for a wood-framed building or 50 for masonry/concrete. The worksheet calculates the rest.
Enter current tax
Under Taxes, enter the general tax levy only from your current property tax invoice. The worksheet then shows the tax under the Mills Act and the estimated tax reduction.
List your ten-year projects
In the Ten Year Rehabilitation Plan, write a proposed project and estimated cost for each year 1 through 10, using additional sheets if needed.
Review, sign and download the PDF
Check that every section is complete, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Assemble the package described under How to submit.
How to submit Mills Act Application Form – Riverside, CA
The packet does not name a mailing address, online portal or drop-off rule for the application. It lists the Planning Division, Community & Economic Development Department, 3900 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Riverside, CA 92522, telephone (951) 826-5800 or 951-826-5800, and RiversideCA.gov/Planning. Confirm the delivery method with the Planning Division before the 5:00 pm deadline on the last business day in May.
Your package must contain:
- the completed application form, Property Tax Adjustment Worksheet and Ten-Year Plan;
- a grant deed or title report with the legal description;
- a copy of your current property tax statement or coupons;
- the non-refundable application fee and a contract initiation fee check post-dated November 1 of the current year.
Two fees apply. Ask the Planning Division for the current amounts. Staff deposit the post-dated check after City Council approval; to pay the contract fee by credit card instead, contact staff before November 1. If the fee is not paid, the city voids the contract and it will not be recorded.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the city's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting after 5:00 pm on the last business day in May, or before January 1st; incomplete applications are not considered.
- Leaving out the grant deed or title report, the property tax statement or the ten-year plan from the package.
- Omitting the contract initiation fee check or dating it other than November 1 of the current year.
- Counting general levy property taxes, mortgage payments, depletion charges, corporate income taxes or interest on invested funds as allowed expenses on the worksheet.
- Leaving out an estimated monthly rental income because the home is owner-occupied; the worksheet needs it as the basis for the formula.
- Including bonded indebtedness, special district assessments or special taxes in Current Tax; deduct them, because the Mills Act applies only to general levy property taxes.
- Planning projects that do not use all of your tax savings, or exterior work started before Cultural Heritage Board or staff approval.
- Not arranging for every deed holder and spouse to appear in October to sign the contract.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mills Act Application Form in Riverside, CA?
It is the City of Riverside Planning Division packet for owners of designated historic properties applying for a Mills Act contract. It includes the application, a Property Tax Adjustment Worksheet and a Ten Year Rehabilitation Plan.
Which properties qualify for the Riverside Mills Act program?
A property must be a designated historic resource listed on a city, county, state or federal register. City designations are Landmark, Structure of Merit, and Contributor to a designated Historic District or Neighborhood Conservation Area.
When is the Mills Act application due in Riverside?
Applications are accepted January 1st through the last business day in May and must be submitted by 5:00 pm. The city does not consider incomplete applications.
Is there a fee for the Riverside Mills Act application?
Yes. A non-refundable application fee and a contract initiation fee apply. The contract fee goes in as a check post-dated November 1 of the current year. Ask the Planning Division at 951-826-5800 for the current amounts.
What documents go with the Mills Act application?
Include the completed form, the Property Tax Adjustment Worksheet, the Ten-Year Plan, a grant deed or title report with legal description, your current property tax statement or coupons, and the fee payments. Commercial properties add a rent roll and maintenance records.
What happens after I apply?
Cultural Heritage Board staff review the application and may ask for changes to the ten-year plan. Staff call in August to schedule the initial inspection, the City Council considers contracts in October, and the approved contract is recorded by year end.
What are my obligations after the contract is recorded?
You submit annual reports on completed projects, with photographs, copies of receipts and building permits where applicable. The city inspects at least every five years, and significant penalties may follow a breach of contract or failure to maintain the property.
Can I fill out the Mills Act Application Form online?
Yes. You can fill out the fillable PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the application with the City of Riverside; you submit it through the city's process.
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