Floridians whose homes were lost or severely damaged during Hurricane Helene can receive property tax relief this year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told homeowners affected by the hurricane.
“I have directed the Florida Department of Revenue to reinforce and distribute guidance to property appraisers to prorate property taxes for homeowners who lost their residence to Hurricane Helene,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in Madeira Beach, Florida, on Oct. 2.
“This is not just people whose entire residence was washed away. If you have things like muck and gut, we are going to have the guidance where you will qualify for that, and you can claim this refund.”
DeSantis said that “traditionally“ he would issue an executive order to suspend property taxes for storm victims and then have the state Legislature ratify it. But, he signed legislation during a special legislative session in December 2022 that makes ”the tax relief automatic.”
The law states, “If a residential improvement is rendered uninhabitable for at least 30 days due to a catastrophic event, taxes originally levied and paid for the year in which the catastrophic event occurred may be refunded.”
The term “residential improvement” refers to a house, residential dwelling, or residential property. However, it refers only to the home itself and excludes things such as a detached garage or carport, a detached utility building, a fence, or a swimming pool. It also does not include the land itself.
Instructions for how to seek that refund and properly notify the local property appraiser are included in the bill, and DeSantis said that his administration would be issuing guidance to all property appraisers.
Information can also be found at FloridaRevenue.com.
Property owners have until March 1, 2025, to make a submission.
“Please take advantage of your property tax rebate,” DeSantis said to Floridians. “We want you to do it. You’re entitled to do it, and it would be wrong to collect taxes from somebody who’s not even able to use their home as a result of damage [from] the storm.”
Hurricane recovery efforts and damage assessments have been underway across the Florida Gulf Coast.
In response to the mass displacement of residents, the state has already begun working to provide temporary housing in the form of travel trailers.
But DeSantis also announced that he directed the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and all municipalities and counties that were declared to be under a state of emergency to “temporarily lift time restrictions on rentals for those displaced by the storm.”
He said that this restriction lift “will provide more options for immediate housing for those who need a place to stay in either the long-term or short-term as they rebuild and recover.”
