JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 24,000 Duval County homeowners who appear to potentially qualify for Florida’s homestead exemption have not filed for the tax-saving benefit, according to a News4JAX I-TEAM analysis.
The I-TEAM reviewed Duval County’s current tax roll, comparing property owners’ mailing addresses with the addresses of the homes they own. The analysis identified more than 24,000 homeowners whose mailing address matched the property address and did not own another property in the county — suggesting the home may be their primary residence — but who did not have a homestead exemption on file.
A homestead exemption lowers the taxable value of a primary residence, reducing a homeowner’s property tax bill. The exemption can save homeowners hundreds of dollars each year and may provide additional long-term savings through Florida’s Save Our Homes assessment cap, which limits the amount a home’s assessed value can rise in one year…