Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership, Inc. (The Housing Partnership) and Legal Services of Southern Piedmont (LSSP) will provide assistance to homeowners in the completion of their low-income homestead exclusion or property tax deferment filings for the current tax year. The free clinics will be held in the Druid Hills Neighborhood on April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon and the Genesis Park Neighborhood on May 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. Registration is required.

“Many seniors and disabled individuals in our community have no idea that they could qualify for Mecklenburg County’s property tax relief program,” said Julie Porter, president of The Housing Partnership. “The program not only helps low-income individuals keep money in their pockets, but in some cases, helps them to avoid tax foreclosure by simply filing the exemption and deferment forms.”

There are certain qualifications individuals must meet to be eligible. There is an income limit set annually by the NC Department of Revenue. The limit for 2017 is $29,500 for income received from all sources during the calendar year 2016. The applicant's name must be on the deed or title to the home, and this must be the applicant's primary residence.

Homeowners will be assisted by attorneys with Legal Services of Southern Piedmont and should bring the following documents with them to the clinics:

-Copy of 2016 federal tax return (for all individuals who are on the deed to the home)

-Pension statement

-SSI statement

-W2 or paycheck stub

If you are under 65 and disabled, make sure you also bring the following: Certificate from a doctor or governmental agency stating that you are entirely or permanently disabled.

The property tax clinics are open to the public at the following dates, times and locations: April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, 1600 Norris Avenue; and May 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Ivory Baker Center, 1920 Stroud Park Court.

If you are interested in attending one of the clinics, contact Legal Services of Southern Piedmont via email at nickh@lssp.org or call (704) 749-7495 to register.

ABOUT THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP

The Housing Partnership is a broad-based, private, nonprofit housing development and financial corporation organized in 1988 to expand affordable and well-maintained housing and promote stable neighborhoods for low- and moderate-income families in the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The agency provides assistance to residents of its properties to more fully enter the economic mainstream and achieve independence. For more information, please visit www.CMHP.org.