Buffalo, New York - As Mayor Byron W. Brown, (along with members of the Buffalo Common Council), continues to look for various ways to help homeowners deal with rising costs, he wants to make sure City residents are aware of new changes to property tax relief programs at the City level that could offer additional relief to Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities and Limited Income Exemptions. On September 5, 2023, the Buffalo Common Council adopted a resolution opting into recent changes in Real Property Tax Law increasing the income eligibility limits for the Senior Citizen and Persons with Disabilities and Low-Income exemptions.
- Income eligibility limits for both exemptions increased from $37,399 to $58,399 for a partial reduction in the assessed value of their property on a sliding scale from 5% to 50% based on the reported income.
- The Department of Assessment and Taxation has already begun mailing out exemption applications to identified property owners.
Mayor Brown stated, “These recent changes in Real Property Tax Law will provide significant property tax relief to about 4,300 City homeowners. So, if you know someone who is eligible, please make sure they apply by the deadline to receive this savings, as well as other possible relief such as the Enhanced STAR exemption.”
A person aged 65 or older who qualifies for this new Senior Citizen exemption would qualify for the Enhanced STAR exemption and also receive 40% off their Buffalo Water bill, saving them hundreds of additional dollars per year. The deadline to apply for these and all other exemptions is Friday, December 1, 2023.
To learn more, stop by the City’s Department of Assessment & Taxation’s Exemptions Office in Room 105 in Buffalo City Hall, call (716) 851-5733 (Ex. 3), or click here. https://www.buffalony.gov/194/Exemptions-for-the- City-of-Buffalo-Only.