Homeowner Tax Relief Grant

The State of Georgia approved a one-time Homeowner Tax Relief Grant (HTRG) for homeowners with a valid basic, senior or special homestead exemption, or for a homeowner who applied for one by the April 1, 2023 deadline. Homeowners with valid homesteads will receive the tax relief grant of up to a $18,000 reduction of the taxable assessed value of their property. The HTRG will automatically be applied to applicable 2023 City of Savannah property tax bills. The grant was approved by the Governor and General Assembly of the State of Georgia and became law on March 13, 2023. The grant is being funded via a $950 million appropriation of state funding. Homeowners will receive the credit on their 2023 bill, the City will then file a return with State Department of Revenue requesting a reimbursement equal to the credits provided to homeowners during the billing process. The State is expected to disburse funds to the City within 30 to 60 days after receipt of the City’s reimbursement request. 

What City of Savannah Homeowners need to know:

  1. The HTRG is a one-time reduction in the assessed value on the property tax bill. The tax relief grant is not a refund payment.
  2. The HTRG reduction, which will appear on property tax bills, will amount up to a $18,000 reduction of the assessed value of their property if a valid homestead exemption exists. Given the City’s 2023 millage of 12.2 mills, this means that Savannah homeowners could see a maximum HTRG credit of $219.60 for 2023.
  3. The HTRG is separate from a homestead exemption; it is an additional savings. No extra steps are required to receive the reduction.
  4. An existing homestead exemption must be in place as of 2023 to qualify for the HTRG reduction on City of Savannah tax bills. Residents should check their 2023 assessment notice to review their homestead status. The deadline to apply for 2023 was April 1. Homestead applications received after that date will be processed for 2024 and will NOT receive the 2023 HTRG.
  5. The HTRG does not apply to rental, commercial or personal property.

 

For more information about the 2023 Homeowner Tax Relief Grant, please visit the Georgia Department of Revenue’s website at https://dor.georgia.gov.