Lenexa Launches Pilot Program to Provide Senior Citizens Property Tax Relief
Lenexa, Kansas – The city of Lenexa has made a commendable move to provide relief to older homeowners. The Lenexa City Council recently approved a pilot program to offer property tax relief for this demographic. This innovative initiative aims to lessen the tax burden resulting from rising home values, committing a sum of $100,000 for this cause. The idea has been part of discussions for about a year and is now finally set into motion.
Significant Move for Community Welfare
“This is great,” commented Councilmember Courtney Eiterich, “I know we’ve hashed through a lot of different scenarios on this, and I’m happy to see this come to fruition. I hope that we get lots of applicants.” The move by Lenexa follows a similar initiative undertaken by the Overland Park City Council in May, indicating a trend towards greater care for the elderly homeowners of Kansas.
The Qualifying Criteria
To be eligible for the relief program applicants must:
- Be at least 65 years old or a disabled veteran with 100% military disability.
- Own and occupy the home in question.
- The home must have an appraised value less than or equal to the previous year’s city-wide median home value ($390,000 for the 2024 Program year).
- The household income must be less than or equal to the previous year’s HUD Very Low Income Limits for the Kansas City Metro.
- The homeowner must be current on property taxes.
Applicants will have time from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31 to submit their applications. The necessary documentation includes a completed application form, verification of the previous year’s household income, a copy of a photo ID with date of birth, and banking details for direct deposit of the rebate. If applicable, a copy of the VA award letter showing a disability rating must also be submitted.
The Rebate for the Eligible
Elected officials have set a range for the rebate amount to be offered. Every eligible applicant will receive a property tax rebate equal to a pro rata share of available funds, capped at 75% of the City’s share of the homeowner’s property tax bill. It is expected that individual rebate amounts will range from approximately $550 to a maximum cap of $924.
Submissions and Concerns
During the council meeting, some city leaders expressed concern about the potential insecurity of applicants submitting their information via email. As a result, the ways in which applications can be submitted are still under evaluation, with a focus on ensuring the security of personal information.
Given that this is the inaugural run of the program, Kyle Glaser, the economic development analyst for Lenexa, made assurances that the authorities will be accommodating about challenges faced by applicants. “We’ll work with people as much as possible, especially in this first year when it’s kind of new to everybody,” he said.
The program is a new endeavor, one that Mayor Julie Sayers expects will need adjustment and fine-tuning over time. “We view this very much as a pilot program,” she comments. “We certainly won’t have it perfect the first time. We sort of need to work out the kinks… And then, we’ll be back a year from now to discuss what improvements we can make upon it.”
