Contact the Registrar-Recorder's office where the property is located for fees and filing addresses. In Los Angeles County call (800) 201-8999, option 2.Complete a homestead declaration form. Sign your declaration in front of a notary. To claim the exemption, the homeowner must make a one-time filing with the county assessor where the property is located. A homestead exemption is automatically in place with the purchase of a new home. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862. In California, you don't necessarily have to file a homestead declaration. If you want a Homestead Declaration on your property, you can do it yourself. The amount depends on the median sales of homes in the county where the property is.