Janett Avalos / Houston Public Media
Tuesday is the deadline for Houston area homeowners affected by April storms and the May derecho to apply for temporary property tax relief.
Homeowners who sustained damage to at least 15 percent of their property during early May flooding and the devastating derecho that came tearing through Houston in May are eligible for the tax break.
The state’s tax code allows property owners in governor declared disaster areas to receive a temporary exemption of a portion of their appraised property value, according to the Harris Central Appraisal District.
Properties that qualify for tax relief include real property like homes, buildings and certified manufactured homes and tangible personal property used for business purposes.
The disaster exemption is available to help those owners reduce their 2024 property taxes, Roland Altinger, a chief appraiser for the Harris County Appraisal District said earlier this year.
“State law lets the individual owner apply for the temporary disaster exemption for physical damage to their property,” he said.
RELATED: Flood or storm damage victims may qualify for a break on their 2024 property taxes
The tax break applies to regions of the state where Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued disaster declarations. April 30, the governor’s office issued a disaster declaration for 29 counties after a series of severe storms left streets near the San Jacinto River in north Harris County flooded.
More than 700 homes in Polk County north of Houston were flooded during the early May storms that prompted the first disaster declaration of year. Power and internet lines were down in the area and several communities surrounding Lake Livingston were under boil water notices.
RELATED: More than 700 houses flooded in Polk County, officials said
To apply for property tax relief, homeowners affected by the storms must fill out a two-page form requiring property owner information and a description of the damage their property sustained by Tuesday.
