Laserfiche WebLink
Certain exemptions are available to permanent residents of the State, including, <br />among others, a homestead exemption not exceeding $25,000. By voter referendum <br />held on November 3, 1992, Article VII, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution was <br />amended by adding thereto a subsection which, in effect, limits the increases in <br />assessed just value of homestead property to the lesser of (1) 3% of the assessment for <br />the prior year or (2) the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban <br />consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or successor reports for the <br />preceding calendar year as initially reported by the United States Department of <br />Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Further, the amendment provides that (1) no <br />assessment shall exceed just value; (2) after any change of ownership of homestead <br />property or upon termination of homestead status, such property shall be reassessed at <br />just value as of January 1 of the year following the year of sale or change of status; (3) <br />new homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of January 1 of the year <br />following the establishment of the homestead; and (4) changes, additions, reductions or <br />improvements to homestead shall initially be assessed as provided by general law, and <br />thereafter as provided in the amendment. The effective date of the amendment was <br />January 15, 1993, and the base year for determining compliance with the restrictions <br />was 1994. <br />Pursuant to State legislative authorization, the County has --enacted an <br />Ordinance providing an additional $25,000 homestead exemption to citizens 65 years <br />or older as of January 1 of the year and whose household income does not exceed <br />$20,000. The $20,000 income limitation is adjusted annually by the percentage change <br />in the average cost -of -living index in the period January 1 to December 31 of the <br />immediate preceding year compared with the same period for the prior year, and, <br />accordingly is $23,463.00 for the current year, as so adjusted. <br />16 <br />