Deadline for Houston-area property tax relief due to derecho damage approaches – Houston Public Media
Janett Avalos/Houston Public Media
Tuesday is the deadline for Houston-area homeowners affected by the April storms and May derecho to apply for temporary property tax relief.
Homeowners whose property was damaged by at least 15 percent in the floods in early May and the devastating “derecho” that swept through Houston in May are eligible for the tax reduction.
According to the Harris Central Appraisal District, the state’s tax code allows owners of property in disaster areas declared by the governor a temporary exemption from a portion of their assessed property values.
Properties eligible for tax relief include real property such as homes, buildings and certified manufactured homes, as well as tangible personal property used for business purposes.
The disaster exemption is intended to help these owners reduce their property taxes for 2024, Roland Altinger, chief appraiser for the Harris County Appraisal District, said earlier this year.
“Under state law, an individual property owner can apply for a temporary exemption from the disaster protection obligation for physical damage to his property,” he said.
RELATED TOPICS: Victims of flood or storm damage may be eligible for a reduction in their 2024 property taxes
The tax relief applies to regions of the state where Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a disaster. On April 30, the governor’s office declared a disaster for 29 counties after a series of severe storms flooded roads near the San Jacinto River in northern Harris County.
More than 700 homes in Polk County, north of Houston, were flooded during storms in early May that led to the year’s first disaster declaration. Power and internet lines were down in the area, and boil water orders were in place in several communities around Lake Livingston.
RELATED: More than 700 homes flooded in Polk County, officials said
To apply for a property tax abatement, homeowners affected by the storms must complete a two-page form by Tuesday that requires owner information and a description of the damage sustained to their property.
