The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday approved a pilot program aimed at providing property tax relief to older people with low incomes and veterans who are disabled.
The Low-Income Senior and Disabled Veteran Property Tax Rebate Pilot Program is designed to assist eligible homeowners by offering a rebate on their property taxes. The maximum rebate amount is $300 per household or the county portion of the property tax, whichever is less.
Commissioners gave initial approval in April for staff to develop the program. County staff members have now ironed out details and are moving toward implementation.
At least 1,666 households could potentially benefit from the program at the maximum rebate limit, according to the meeting agenda. If the county approves more than 1,666 applications, the rebate payment would be allocated among all eligible applicants without exceeding the county portion of the tax or $300 per household.
To qualify for the rebate, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a current homeowner and occupant of a property in Douglas County.
- Be either 65 years of age or older or a disabled veteran with a 100% or greater military disability.
- Have a total household income at or below the 2024 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Very Low Income guidelines.
- The county-appraised value of the applicant’s home must not exceed $350,000.
- The property cannot be used as a short-term rental.
Household income includes 100% of Social Security and SSI benefits but excludes Social Security Disability or SSI Disability payments. The income limits, based on household size, are outlined in the HUD guidelines for 2024.
Here are HUD’s very low income guidelines for 2024:
| Household Size | Total Household Income | Household Size | Total Household Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $35,700 | 5 | $55,100 |
| 2 | $40,800 | 6 | $59,200 |
| 3 | $45,900 | 7 | $63,250 |
| 4 | $51,000 | 8 | $67,350 |
The application period will open on Jan. 15 and close on April 15, 2025. People will be required to submit an application along with proof of income for all household members. Rebate payments are expected to be mailed to approved applicants between late spring and early summer of 2025.
The pilot program is funded with $500,000 from the county’s 2025 operating budget.
“I think it’s important to remember that this is being done with fund balance,” Commissioner Patrick Kelly said. “And the public comment made an assumption that it would be renewed and would go onto the tax rolls, and it’s actually the opposite of that. It’s looking at what fund balance was created, taking a small portion of that fund balance, or taking a portion of that fund balance, and seeing how we can return some of those tax dollars to our most vulnerable populations.”
A dedicated Property Tax Rebate Pilot Program webpage will be published on the county’s website, dgcoks.gov, later this year to provide information about the program and access to application forms. People will be able to print and mail in the form and supporting materials to the county.
Jake Broadbent, management analyst for the county, told commissioners that Johnson County launched a similar program, and he hadn’t heard of any glitches with their program but they received fewer applications than they were hoping.
Douglas County staff intend to do more outreach and raise awareness of the program in the coming months, Broadbent said. Commission Chair Karen Willey suggested staff reach out to the AARP Tax-Aide program because many of their clientele could benefit.
Commissioners approved the plan with a 3-0 vote.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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