(a) Definitions.
(1) Household means a person, or group of persons living together in a room or group of rooms as a housing unit, but the term does not include persons boarding or renting a portion of a dwelling, as defined in Section 196.075(1), Florida Statutes, as amended from time to time.
(2) Household income means the adjusted gross income, as defined in s. 62 of the United States Internal Revenue Code, of all members of the household, as defined in Section 196.076(1), Florida Statutes, as amended from time to time.
(b) General.
(1) The additional homestead exemption set forth in this section shall apply only to taxes levied by the City of Boynton Beach including, if any, dependent special districts and municipal service taxing units.
(2) Any person who meets the requirements set forth in (c) below, shall be eligible for an additional homestead exemption in an amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00).
(3) An additional homestead exemption in the amount of the assessed value of the property for a person who has a legal or equitable title to real estate within the City of Boynton Beach with a just value less than $250,000.00, as determined in the first tax year that the owner applies and is eligible for the exemption, and who has maintained thereon the permanent residence of the owner for at least 25 years, who has attained the age of 65, and whose household income does not exceed the income limitation.
(c) Requirements to obtain additional homestead exemption. Any person who has attained the age of sixty-five (65) years will be entitled to an additional homestead exemption if:
(1) The person has legal or equitable title to real estate; and
(2) The person maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner; and
(3) The person's household income does not exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00).
(4) The taxpayer claiming the exemption for the first time shall submit a request for the additional exemption herein created to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, not later than March 1, a sworn statement of household income on a form prescribed by the Florida Department of Revenue and in accordance with rules of the Florida Department of Revenue. The applicant shall submit copies of any federal income tax returns for the prior year, any wage and earnings statements (W-2 forms),and any other documents which the Florida Department of Revenue finds necessary, for each member of the household, by June 1. The taxpayer's statement shall attest to the accuracy of such copies; and
(5) Property appraiser approval. The property appraiser may not grant the exemption without the required documentation.
(d) Household income. For the purposes of (c)(3) above, beginning January 1, 2001, the twenty thousand dollar ($20,000.00) household income limitation shall be adjusted annually on January 1, by the percentage change in the average cost-of-living in the period January 1 through December 31 of the immediate prior year compared with the same period for the year prior to that. The index is the average of the monthly consumer-price index figures for the stated twelve-month period, relative to the United States as a whole, issued by the United States Department of Labor.
(e) If title is held jointly with the right of survivorship, the person residing on the property and otherwise qualifying may receive the entire amount of the additional homestead exemption.
(Ord. No. 04-044, § 2, 7-20-04; Ord. No. 22-023, § 2, 11-1-22)