More Prairie Village residents may soon be eligible for property tax relief offered by the city.
Catch up quick: The City Council Committee of the Whole on Monday unanimously approved raising income thresholds connected to the city’s property tax rebate program, making households with higher incomes potentially eligible.
- The program reimburses residents for the city’s portion of their property tax bill, which amounts to about 16% of residents’ annual bill in Prairie Village.
Background: Prairie Village started the property tax rebate program this year with a $20,000 fund and reimbursed 28 residents, which used just $14,000 of the allotted fund.
- The city says overall it received 33 applications for the program this year.
- Five residents did not qualify for refunds because their income was above the cutoff for the program, which is currently set at or below 50% of the Kansas City metro area’s median family income.
What’s new: City staff proposed raising the threshold to 65% of the metro’s median family income, which equals $45,000 for a two-person household in 2023.
- City staff also suggested adding $10,000 to the fund if the program does well with the income adjustments.
- Any additional funding toward this program would come before the city council for approval.
Zooming out: The new threshold falls between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s threshold for “very low income” households, which is 50% of the metro’s median family income (which is what Prairie Village’s rebate program used his year) and HUD’s threshold for “low income,” which is 80% of the metro’s median family income.
Key quote: “To me, it’s very important that this program exists because I think it does show significant good faith and goodwill by the council and by the city that we’re trying,” Councilmember Cole Robinson said. “This is one of a number of ways that we’re trying to help residents stay in their homes.”
How to apply
The city is still accepting applications for 2022, and applications can be found online here.
- The program is not yet open for 2023 applications, but the city is anticipated to release that information on social media and in the Village Voice.
