CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cuyahoga County seniors struggling to pay their property taxes may now qualify for up to $10,000 in relief to help them remain in their homes.
County Council, on Tuesday, unanimously approved a new Taxpayer Assistance Program that will pay up to $10,000 in delinquent property taxes for seniors, to help them avoid foreclosure. The program then pairs homeowners with a financial counselor to either prevent them from falling behind again or help them plan for more stable housing.
To qualify, residents must:
- Be 70 or older and with a household income of less than $70,000 a year.
- Be actively delinquent on their property taxes.
- Be in their homes for at least three years and commit to remaining there three years after.
- Turn over their parcel ID, contact information, demographic information, proof of residency and proof of income.
The limited funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a certain portion going to each district based on the number of delinquencies there. CHN Housing Partners, which is administering the program, will make applications available through its online portal in mid-December.
Until then, residents are encouraged to continue filling out an interest form on CHN’s website.
The tax relief program is expected to help up to 1,000 residents over the two years. More than 500 residents have already expressed interest in participating county officials said, but they still need to formally apply.