Senior Homestead Exemption

  • Thank you for visiting the website for the Senior Homestead Exemption Steering Committee. Here you will find more information surrounding the City Schools of Decatur's current Senior Homestead Exemption, which sunsets in 2021, and information on the work of the Steering Committee. 

    GA SB292

     

    SENIOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION UPDATE:

    NOVEMBER 2021

    Senate Bill 292, signed into effect on May 3, 2021, specifies that the municipal election superintendent of the City of Decatur conduct an election on November 2, 2021 for the purpose of asking the electors of the City of Decatur independent school district for approval or rejection of a homestead exemption. I am requesting that City Clerk Meredith Roark, in her capacity as Municipal Election Superintendent, inform the DeKalb County Elections and Voter Registration Office of this call for election and to publish the call once a week for the two weeks preceding the election in The Champion.

     

    The question on the ballot should be written as follows:

    Shall the Act be approved which provides a homestead exemption from City of Decatur independent school district ad valorem taxes for educational purposes for tax years 2022 and 2023 in the amount of $200,000.00 of the assessed value of the homestead for residents of that school district who are between 65 and 69 years of age and whose federal adjusted gross income, as well as the federal adjusted gross income of the spouse of such resident and all other members of the family who also reside at such homestead, does not exceed $53,000.00 and which provides a homestead exemption from City of Decatur independent school district ad valorem taxes for educational purposes for tax years 2022 and 2023 in the amount of $200,000.00 of the assessed value of the homestead for residents of that school district who are 70 years of age or older regardless of income? (  ) YES   (  ) NO

     

    MAY 2021:

    On Thursday, May 13, Board Chair Tasha White and DeKalb County Schools Board Chair Vickie B. Turner hosted a joint press conference with DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and leaders of the DeKalb County House and Senate Delegation to celebrate the passing of Senate Bill 293 after several years of negotiations to preserve funds for the students and families of DeKalb County and the City of Decatur. Senate Bill 293 provides for DCSD to receive an amount equal to all ad valorem taxes for educational purposes collected on property zoned for commercial use or that portion of a mixed-use property where the primary use is commercial within all annexed areas.

     

    In relation to SB 293, resolution HR 222 sponsored by Rep. Victor Anderson creates a Study Committee on Annexation and Cityhood. The committee will be composed of five members of the House, who will be appointed by the Speaker and will be dissolved on December 1, 2021. The findings and recommendations of this study committee will likely result in the introduction of legislation in the 2022 legislative session. (Press Release)

     

    MARCH 2021

    On March 18, SB 292, which would provide a homestead exemption from City of Decatur independent school district ad valorem taxes for educational purposes, passed the Senate and signed into law by Governor Kemp. The bill must be approved by Decatur voters in November 2021. If approved by the voters, the exemptions will go into effect on January 1, 2022. The House amended the Homestead Exemption to sunset after two years (rather than a 5-year sunset). The Board will work with the DeKalb delegation to address that in a future legislative session. (Press Release)

     

    You can review the CSD Tax Exemption Resolution here: http://bit.ly/shresolution. The legislation provides an exemption on $200,000 of assessed home value ($400,000 of appraised value) for seniors aged 65-69 if their income is at or below 80% of the Atlanta area median income. That income figure is $52,980 for a two-person household. Seniors aged 70 and above will also receive the same exemption on $200,000 of assessed home value ($400,000 of appraised value) but without an income cap.

Steering Committee

  • As provided for in the Board Resolution, the steering committee members are chosen by various groups.

    The Steering Committee consists of nine members, as follows:

    1. A parent member of the CSD System Charter Leadership Team: Meg Robinson
    2. A member chosen by the Decatur City Commission: Bill Floyd
    3. A member chosen by the Decatur Lifelong Community Advisory Board: Maria Pinkleton, Board Chair, Lifelong Community Advisory Board
    4. A member chosen by the Decatur Affordable Housing Coalition: Paula Collins, Chair, Affordable Housing
    5. A member chosen by the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights: Phil Cuffey, Representative, Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights; Chair, Beacon Hill Equity in Housing Committee; Member, DeKalb Affordable Housing Coalition
    6. A member chosen by the Decatur Business Association: Dr. Shelia Payton, Chiropractor in the City of Decatur
    7. An expert in municipal finance and policy chosen by the Board: Gwin Hall, Senior Associate General Counsel, Georgia Municipal Association
    8. An expert in tax law chosen by the Board: Hans Utz, Tax Exemption subcommittee
    9. A senior resident chosen by the Board: Elizabeth Wilson, City of Decatur Mayor Emerita

    The work of the committee is facilitated by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

Senior Homestead Information and Meetings

Documents

Videos of Past Senior Homestead Exemption Steering Committee Meetings