Villa-Backed Senior Property Tax Relief Measure Signed by Pritzker

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Under a new law passed by state Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, seniors that reside in Cook County will no longer have to reapply annually for their Cook County Senior Homestead Exemption.

“Many seniors live on fixed incomes, so they should not have to jump through unnecessary bureaucratic hoops to realize the savings they are entitled to,” said Villa. “This new law is significant because it ensures senior homeowners are not overpaying their property tax bills and that cost-saving exemptions are accessible to all qualifying families.”

Villa passed House Bill 833, which removes the burdensome process that required Cook County senior homeowners to reapply for their Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption each year. Cook County was the only county in Illinois that mandated senior homeowners to annually reapply in order to receive this tax relief exemption. The Cook County Treasurer’s office recently released information that as many as 26,000 Cook County senior homeowners did not reapply for their annual property tax exemptions, missing out on an estimated $45 million in property tax relief. Villa’s new law will ensure qualifying seniors do not miss out on much-needed exemptions.

“This new law cuts bureaucratic red tape and streamlines the exemption process to ensure that seniors in Cook County are receiving the savings they deserve,” continued Villa. “I will continue working on the Property Tax Relief Task Force to find real property tax relief for homeowners throughout Illinois.”

For more information, please contact Villa’s constituent service office at 630-326-9319 or at StateRepKarinaVilla@gmail.com.