Home values are on the rise, and that’s tough news for many, especially seniors, on fixed incomes.
To offset those increases, the city of Auburn is now planning to send out relief checks to homeowners age 65 and up.
“We’ve seen a massive increase in the valuation of properties,” Mayor Jason Levesque said.
Levesque said the pandemic, low interest rates and a housing shortage have driven home prices way up in the city.
He said new appraisals completed this year also show many of the homes that increased the most in value are owned by seniors 65 and older.
“Our older residents, and those that are on a fixed income, have lived in their homes for so long, they’re the ones that saw the largest increase in appraised value,” Levesque said.
The valuation changes over the summer increased some people’s tax bills by hundreds of dollars.
Peter Vondell said his taxes went up by more than $400, while Edie Williams’ property taxes went up $700.
On Monday night, the City Council voted 5-2 to use $700,000 of its American Rescue Plan funds to send $300 tax relief checks to Auburn homeowners 65 and older who qualify for the Homestead Exemption program.
“We had some leftover specifically for tax relief, if needed. So what we did was we voted to provide everyone over the age of 65 that can prove, easily enough, that their taxes increased by more than $300, a $300 reimbursement check,” Leveque said.
“I think that would be a great idea. I mean, it should help somebody,” Vondell said. “I think it should be spent either back to the seniors or some way to help everybody.”
“Everybody’s struggling with money,” Williams said. “I think it should help everybody. It seems like a lot of people can’t afford to buy houses anymore.”
The two councilors who voted against the $300 checks said it wouldn’t have a big impact.
Starting in November, seniors 65 and older who qualify for these $300 checks will have a three-month window to apply. The city is in the process making applications for seniors to pick up by November.