100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB2842

 

Introduced 2/13/2018, by Sen. Ira I. Silverstein

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
35 ILCS 200/15-170
35 ILCS 200/15-172.5 new
35 ILCS 200/15-175

    Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates an assessment freeze homestead exemption for persons receiving federal Supplemental Security Income. Provides that, for taxable years 2018 and thereafter, the maximum reduction under the senior citizens homestead exemption is $9,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties. Provides that, for taxable years 2018 and thereafter, the maximum reduction under the general homestead exemption is $12,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $8,000 in all other counties. Effective immediately.


LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2842LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1    AN ACT concerning revenue.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by adding
5Sections Section 15-170, 15-172.5, and 15-175 as follows:
 
6    (35 ILCS 200/15-170)
7    Sec. 15-170. Senior citizens homestead exemption. An
8annual homestead exemption limited, except as described here
9with relation to cooperatives or life care facilities, to a
10maximum reduction set forth below from the property's value, as
11equalized or assessed by the Department, is granted for
12property that is occupied as a residence by a person 65 years
13of age or older who is liable for paying real estate taxes on
14the property and is an owner of record of the property or has a
15legal or equitable interest therein as evidenced by a written
16instrument, except for a leasehold interest, other than a
17leasehold interest of land on which a single family residence
18is located, which is occupied as a residence by a person 65
19years or older who has an ownership interest therein, legal,
20equitable or as a lessee, and on which he or she is liable for
21the payment of property taxes. Before taxable year 2004, the
22maximum reduction shall be $2,500 in counties with 3,000,000 or
23more inhabitants and $2,000 in all other counties. For taxable

 

 

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1years 2004 through 2005, the maximum reduction shall be $3,000
2in all counties. For taxable years 2006 and 2007, the maximum
3reduction shall be $3,500. For taxable years 2008 through 2011,
4the maximum reduction is $4,000 in all counties. For taxable
5year 2012, the maximum reduction is $5,000 in counties with
63,000,000 or more inhabitants and $4,000 in all other counties.
7For taxable years 2013 through 2016, the maximum reduction is
8$5,000 in all counties. For taxable year years 2017 and
9thereafter, the maximum reduction is $8,000 in counties with
103,000,000 or more inhabitants and $5,000 in all other counties.
11For taxable years 2018 and thereafter, the maximum reduction is
12$9,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and
13$6,000 in all other counties.
14    For land improved with an apartment building owned and
15operated as a cooperative, the maximum reduction from the value
16of the property, as equalized by the Department, shall be
17multiplied by the number of apartments or units occupied by a
18person 65 years of age or older who is liable, by contract with
19the owner or owners of record, for paying property taxes on the
20property and is an owner of record of a legal or equitable
21interest in the cooperative apartment building, other than a
22leasehold interest. For land improved with a life care
23facility, the maximum reduction from the value of the property,
24as equalized by the Department, shall be multiplied by the
25number of apartments or units occupied by persons 65 years of
26age or older, irrespective of any legal, equitable, or

 

 

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1leasehold interest in the facility, who are liable, under a
2contract with the owner or owners of record of the facility,
3for paying property taxes on the property. In a cooperative or
4a life care facility where a homestead exemption has been
5granted, the cooperative association or the management firm of
6the cooperative or facility shall credit the savings resulting
7from that exemption only to the apportioned tax liability of
8the owner or resident who qualified for the exemption. Any
9person who willfully refuses to so credit the savings shall be
10guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Under this Section and
11Sections 15-175, 15-176, and 15-177, "life care facility" means
12a facility, as defined in Section 2 of the Life Care Facilities
13Act, with which the applicant for the homestead exemption has a
14life care contract as defined in that Act.
15    When a homestead exemption has been granted under this
16Section and the person qualifying subsequently becomes a
17resident of a facility licensed under the Assisted Living and
18Shared Housing Act, the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized
19Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community
20Care Act, or the MC/DD Act, the exemption shall continue so
21long as the residence continues to be occupied by the
22qualifying person's spouse if the spouse is 65 years of age or
23older, or if the residence remains unoccupied but is still
24owned by the person qualified for the homestead exemption.
25    A person who will be 65 years of age during the current
26assessment year shall be eligible to apply for the homestead

 

 

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1exemption during that assessment year. Application shall be
2made during the application period in effect for the county of
3his residence.
4    Beginning with assessment year 2003, for taxes payable in
52004, property that is first occupied as a residence after
6January 1 of any assessment year by a person who is eligible
7for the senior citizens homestead exemption under this Section
8must be granted a pro-rata exemption for the assessment year.
9The amount of the pro-rata exemption is the exemption allowed
10in the county under this Section divided by 365 and multiplied
11by the number of days during the assessment year the property
12is occupied as a residence by a person eligible for the
13exemption under this Section. The chief county assessment
14officer must adopt reasonable procedures to establish
15eligibility for this pro-rata exemption.
16    The assessor or chief county assessment officer may
17determine the eligibility of a life care facility to receive
18the benefits provided by this Section, by affidavit,
19application, visual inspection, questionnaire or other
20reasonable methods in order to insure that the tax savings
21resulting from the exemption are credited by the management
22firm to the apportioned tax liability of each qualifying
23resident. The assessor may request reasonable proof that the
24management firm has so credited the exemption.
25    The chief county assessment officer of each county with
26less than 3,000,000 inhabitants shall provide to each person

 

 

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1allowed a homestead exemption under this Section a form to
2designate any other person to receive a duplicate of any notice
3of delinquency in the payment of taxes assessed and levied
4under this Code on the property of the person receiving the
5exemption. The duplicate notice shall be in addition to the
6notice required to be provided to the person receiving the
7exemption, and shall be given in the manner required by this
8Code. The person filing the request for the duplicate notice
9shall pay a fee of $5 to cover administrative costs to the
10supervisor of assessments, who shall then file the executed
11designation with the county collector. Notwithstanding any
12other provision of this Code to the contrary, the filing of
13such an executed designation requires the county collector to
14provide duplicate notices as indicated by the designation. A
15designation may be rescinded by the person who executed such
16designation at any time, in the manner and form required by the
17chief county assessment officer.
18    The assessor or chief county assessment officer may
19determine the eligibility of residential property to receive
20the homestead exemption provided by this Section by
21application, visual inspection, questionnaire or other
22reasonable methods. The determination shall be made in
23accordance with guidelines established by the Department.
24    In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, beginning
25in taxable year 2010, each taxpayer who has been granted an
26exemption under this Section must reapply on an annual basis.

 

 

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1The chief county assessment officer shall mail the application
2to the taxpayer. In counties with less than 3,000,000
3inhabitants, the county board may by resolution provide that if
4a person has been granted a homestead exemption under this
5Section, the person qualifying need not reapply for the
6exemption.
7    In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if the
8assessor or chief county assessment officer requires annual
9application for verification of eligibility for an exemption
10once granted under this Section, the application shall be
11mailed to the taxpayer.
12    The assessor or chief county assessment officer shall
13notify each person who qualifies for an exemption under this
14Section that the person may also qualify for deferral of real
15estate taxes under the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral
16Act. The notice shall set forth the qualifications needed for
17deferral of real estate taxes, the address and telephone number
18of county collector, and a statement that applications for
19deferral of real estate taxes may be obtained from the county
20collector.
21    Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of the State Mandates Act,
22no reimbursement by the State is required for the
23implementation of any mandate created by this Section.
24(Source: P.A. 99-180, eff. 7-29-15; 100-401, eff. 8-25-17.)
 
25    (35 ILCS 200/15-172.5 new)

 

 

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1    Sec. 15-172.5. Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption for
2persons receiving Supplemental Security Income.
3    (a) This Section may be cited as the Assessment Freeze
4Homestead Exemption for persons receiving Supplemental
5Security Income.
6    (b) As used in this Section:
7    "Applicant" means an individual who has filed an
8application under this Section.
9    "Base amount" means the base year equalized assessed value
10of the residence plus the first year's equalized assessed value
11of any added improvements which increased the assessed value of
12the residence after the base year.
13    "Base year" means the taxable year prior to the taxable
14year for which the applicant first qualifies and applies for
15the exemption, provided that, in the prior taxable year, the
16property was improved with a permanent structure that was
17occupied as a residence by the applicant who was liable for
18paying real property taxes on the property and who was either
19(i) an owner of record of the property or had legal or
20equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a written
21instrument or (ii) had a legal or equitable interest as a
22lessee in the parcel of property that was single family
23residence.
24    "Chief County Assessment Officer" means the County
25Assessor or Supervisor of Assessments of the county in which
26the property is located.

 

 

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1    "Equalized assessed value" means the assessed value of the
2property as equalized by the Department of Revenue.
3    "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" means the United States
4Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any successor law or laws
5relating to federal income taxes in effect for the year
6preceding the taxable year.
7    "Life care facility that qualifies as a cooperative" means
8a facility as defined in Section 2 of the Life Care Facilities
9Act.
10    "Residence" means the principal dwelling place and
11appurtenant structures used for residential purposes in this
12State occupied on January 1 of the taxable year by a household
13and so much of the surrounding land, constituting the parcel
14upon which the dwelling place is situated, as is used for
15residential purposes. If the chief county assessment officer
16has established a specific legal description for a portion of
17property constituting the residence, then that portion of
18property shall be deemed the residence for the purposes of this
19Section.
20    "Taxable year" means the calendar year during which ad
21valorem property taxes payable in the next succeeding year are
22levied.
23    (c) Beginning in taxable year 2018, an assessment freeze
24homestead exemption is granted for real property that is
25improved with a permanent structure that is occupied as a
26residence by an applicant who (i) receives federal Supplemental

 

 

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1Security Income during the taxable year, (ii) is liable for
2paying real property taxes on the property, and (iii) is an
3owner of record of the property or has a legal or equitable
4interest in the property as evidenced by a written instrument.
5This homestead exemption shall also apply to a leasehold
6interest in a parcel of property improved with a permanent
7structure that is a single family residence that is occupied as
8a residence by a person who (i) receives federal Supplemental
9Security Income during the taxable year, (ii) has a legal or
10equitable ownership interest in the property as lessee, and
11(iii) is liable for the payment of real property taxes on that
12property.
13    The amount of the exemption is the equalized assessed value
14of the residence in the taxable year for which application is
15made minus the base amount.
16    When the applicant is a surviving spouse of an applicant
17for a prior year for the same residence for which an exemption
18under this Section has been granted, the base year and base
19amount for that residence are the same as for the applicant for
20the prior year.
21    Each year at the time the assessment books are certified to
22the County Clerk, the Board of Review, or Board of Appeals
23shall give to the County Clerk a list of the assessed values of
24improvements on each parcel qualifying for this exemption that
25were added after the base year for this parcel and that
26increased the assessed value of the property.

 

 

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1    In the case of land improved with an apartment building
2owned and operated as a cooperative or a building that is a
3life care facility that qualifies as a cooperative, the maximum
4reduction from the equalized assessed value of the property is
5limited to the sum of the reductions calculated for each unit
6occupied as a residence by a person or persons (i) who receive
7federal Supplemental Security Income during the taxable year,
8(ii) who are liable, by contract with the owner or owners of
9record, for paying real property taxes on the property, and
10(iii) who is an owner of record of a legal or equitable
11interest in the cooperative apartment building, other than a
12leasehold interest. In the instance of a cooperative where a
13homestead exemption has been granted under this Section, the
14cooperative association or its management firm shall credit the
15savings resulting from that exemption only to the apportioned
16tax liability of the owner who qualified for the exemption. Any
17person who willfully refuses to credit that savings to an owner
18who qualifies for the exemption is guilty of a Class B
19misdemeanor.
20    When a homestead exemption has been granted under this
21Section and an applicant then becomes a resident of a facility
22licensed under the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the
23Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health
24Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or
25the MC/DD Act, the exemption shall be granted in subsequent
26years so long as the residence (i) continues to be occupied by

 

 

SB2842- 11 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1the qualified applicant's spouse or (ii) if remaining
2unoccupied, is still owned by the qualified applicant for the
3homestead exemption.
4    When an individual dies who would have qualified for an
5exemption under this Section, and the surviving spouse does not
6independently qualify for this exemption because he or she does
7not receive Supplemental Security Income, the exemption under
8this Section shall be granted to the surviving spouse for the
9taxable year preceding and the taxable year of the death,
10provided that the surviving spouse meets all other
11qualifications for the granting of this exemption for those
12years.
13    When married persons maintain separate residences, the
14exemption provided for in this Section may be claimed by only
15one of such persons and for only one residence.
16    In counties having 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, to
17receive the exemption, a person may submit an application to
18the chief county assessment officer of the county in which the
19property is located during such period as may be specified by
20the chief county assessment officer. The chief county
21assessment officer in counties of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants
22shall annually give notice of the application period by mail or
23by publication. In counties having less than 3,000,000
24inhabitants, to receive the exemption, a person shall submit an
25application by July 1 of each taxable year to the chief county
26assessment officer of the county in which the property is

 

 

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1located. A county having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants may,
2by ordinance, establish a date for submission of applications
3that is different than July 1. The applicant shall submit with
4the application an affidavit verifying the applicant's
5qualifications for the exemption under this Section. The
6Department shall establish, by rule, a method for verifying the
7accuracy of such affidavits, and the chief county assessment
8officer may conduct audits of any taxpayer claiming an
9exemption under this Section to verify that the taxpayer is
10eligible to receive the exemption. Each application shall
11contain or be verified by a written declaration that it is made
12under the penalties of perjury. A taxpayer's signing a
13fraudulent application under this Act is perjury, as defined in
14Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code of 2012. The applications
15shall be clearly marked as applications for the Assessment
16Freeze Homestead Exemption for Persons Receiving Supplemental
17Security Income and must contain a notice that any taxpayer who
18receives the exemption is subject to an audit by the chief
19county assessment officer.
20    If an applicant fails to file the application required by
21this Section in a timely manner and this failure to file is due
22to a mental or physical condition sufficiently severe so as to
23render the applicant incapable of filing the application in a
24timely manner, the chief county assessment officer may extend
25the filing deadline for a period of 30 days after the applicant
26regains the capability to file the application, but in no case

 

 

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1may the filing deadline be extended beyond 3 months of the
2original filing deadline. In order to receive the extension
3provided in this paragraph, the applicant shall provide the
4chief county assessment officer with a signed statement from
5the applicant's physician, advanced practice nurse, or
6physician assistant stating the nature and extent of the
7condition, that, in the physician's, advanced practice
8nurse's, or physician assistant's opinion, the condition was so
9severe that it rendered the applicant incapable of filing the
10application in a timely manner, and the date on which the
11applicant regained the capability to file the application.
12    The chief county assessment officer may determine the
13eligibility of a life care facility that qualifies as a
14cooperative to receive the benefits provided by this Section by
15use of an affidavit, application, visual inspection,
16questionnaire, or other reasonable method in order to insure
17that the tax savings resulting from the exemption are credited
18by the management firm to the apportioned tax liability of each
19qualifying resident. The chief county assessment officer may
20request reasonable proof that the management firm has so
21credited that exemption.
22    Except as provided in this Section, all information
23received by the chief county assessment officer or the
24Department from applications filed under this Section, or from
25any investigation conducted under the provisions of this
26Section, shall be confidential, except for official purposes or

 

 

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1pursuant to official procedures for collection of any State or
2local tax or enforcement of any civil or criminal penalty or
3sanction imposed by this Act or by any statute or ordinance
4imposing a State or local tax. Any person who divulges any such
5information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
6judicial order, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
7    Nothing contained in this Section shall prevent the
8Director or chief county assessment officer from publishing or
9making available reasonable statistics concerning the
10operation of the exemption contained in this Section in which
11the contents of claims are grouped into aggregates in such a
12way that information contained in any individual claim shall
13not be disclosed.
14    (d) Each Chief County Assessment Officer shall annually
15publish a notice of availability of the exemption provided
16under this Section. The notice shall be published at least 60
17days but no more than 75 days prior to the date on which the
18application must be submitted to the Chief County Assessment
19Officer of the county in which the property is located. The
20notice shall appear in a newspaper of general circulation in
21the county.
22    Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of the State Mandates Act,
23no reimbursement by the State is required for the
24implementation of any mandate created by this Section.
 
25    (35 ILCS 200/15-175)

 

 

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1    Sec. 15-175. General homestead exemption.
2    (a) Except as provided in Sections 15-176 and 15-177,
3homestead property is entitled to an annual homestead exemption
4limited, except as described here with relation to
5cooperatives, to a reduction in the equalized assessed value of
6homestead property equal to the increase in equalized assessed
7value for the current assessment year above the equalized
8assessed value of the property for 1977, up to the maximum
9reduction set forth below. If however, the 1977 equalized
10assessed value upon which taxes were paid is subsequently
11determined by local assessing officials, the Property Tax
12Appeal Board, or a court to have been excessive, the equalized
13assessed value which should have been placed on the property
14for 1977 shall be used to determine the amount of the
15exemption.
16    (b) Except as provided in Section 15-176, the maximum
17reduction before taxable year 2004 shall be $4,500 in counties
18with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $3,500 in all other
19counties. Except as provided in Sections 15-176 and 15-177, for
20taxable years 2004 through 2007, the maximum reduction shall be
21$5,000, for taxable year 2008, the maximum reduction is $5,500,
22and, for taxable years 2009 through 2011, the maximum reduction
23is $6,000 in all counties. For taxable years 2012 through 2016,
24the maximum reduction is $7,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or
25more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties. For taxable
26year years 2017 and thereafter, the maximum reduction is

 

 

SB2842- 16 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1$10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and
2$6,000 in all other counties. For taxable years 2018 and
3thereafter, the maximum reduction is $12,000 in counties with
43,000,000 or more inhabitants and $8,000 in all other counties.
5If a county has elected to subject itself to the provisions of
6Section 15-176 as provided in subsection (k) of that Section,
7then, for the first taxable year only after the provisions of
8Section 15-176 no longer apply, for owners who, for the taxable
9year, have not been granted a senior citizens assessment freeze
10homestead exemption under Section 15-172 or a long-time
11occupant homestead exemption under Section 15-177, there shall
12be an additional exemption of $5,000 for owners with a
13household income of $30,000 or less.
14    (c) In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if,
15based on the most recent assessment, the equalized assessed
16value of the homestead property for the current assessment year
17is greater than the equalized assessed value of the property
18for 1977, the owner of the property shall automatically receive
19the exemption granted under this Section in an amount equal to
20the increase over the 1977 assessment up to the maximum
21reduction set forth in this Section.
22    (d) If in any assessment year beginning with the 2000
23assessment year, homestead property has a pro-rata valuation
24under Section 9-180 resulting in an increase in the assessed
25valuation, a reduction in equalized assessed valuation equal to
26the increase in equalized assessed value of the property for

 

 

SB2842- 17 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1the year of the pro-rata valuation above the equalized assessed
2value of the property for 1977 shall be applied to the property
3on a proportionate basis for the period the property qualified
4as homestead property during the assessment year. The maximum
5proportionate homestead exemption shall not exceed the maximum
6homestead exemption allowed in the county under this Section
7divided by 365 and multiplied by the number of days the
8property qualified as homestead property.
9    (d-1) In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, where
10the chief county assessment officer provides a notice of
11discovery, if a property is not occupied by its owner as a
12principal residence as of January 1 of the current tax year,
13then the property owner shall notify the chief county
14assessment officer of that fact on a form prescribed by the
15chief county assessment officer. That notice must be received
16by the chief county assessment officer on or before March 1 of
17the collection year. If mailed, the form shall be sent by
18certified mail, return receipt requested. If the form is
19provided in person, the chief county assessment officer shall
20provide a date stamped copy of the notice. Failure to provide
21timely notice pursuant to this subsection (d-1) shall result in
22the exemption being treated as an erroneous exemption. Upon
23timely receipt of the notice for the current tax year, no
24exemption shall be applied to the property for the current tax
25year. If the exemption is not removed upon timely receipt of
26the notice by the chief assessment officer, then the error is

 

 

SB2842- 18 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1considered granted as a result of a clerical error or omission
2on the part of the chief county assessment officer as described
3in subsection (h) of Section 9-275, and the property owner
4shall not be liable for the payment of interest and penalties
5due to the erroneous exemption for the current tax year for
6which the notice was filed after the date that notice was
7timely received pursuant to this subsection. Notice provided
8under this subsection shall not constitute a defense or amnesty
9for prior year erroneous exemptions.
10    For the purposes of this subsection (d-1):
11    "Collection year" means the year in which the first and
12second installment of the current tax year is billed.
13    "Current tax year" means the year prior to the collection
14year.
15    (e) The chief county assessment officer may, when
16considering whether to grant a leasehold exemption under this
17Section, require the following conditions to be met:
18        (1) that a notarized application for the exemption,
19    signed by both the owner and the lessee of the property,
20    must be submitted each year during the application period
21    in effect for the county in which the property is located;
22        (2) that a copy of the lease must be filed with the
23    chief county assessment officer by the owner of the
24    property at the time the notarized application is
25    submitted;
26        (3) that the lease must expressly state that the lessee

 

 

SB2842- 19 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1    is liable for the payment of property taxes; and
2        (4) that the lease must include the following language
3    in substantially the following form:
4            "Lessee shall be liable for the payment of real
5        estate taxes with respect to the residence in
6        accordance with the terms and conditions of Section
7        15-175 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-175).
8        The permanent real estate index number for the premises
9        is (insert number), and, according to the most recent
10        property tax bill, the current amount of real estate
11        taxes associated with the premises is (insert amount)
12        per year. The parties agree that the monthly rent set
13        forth above shall be increased or decreased pro rata
14        (effective January 1 of each calendar year) to reflect
15        any increase or decrease in real estate taxes. Lessee
16        shall be deemed to be satisfying Lessee's liability for
17        the above mentioned real estate taxes with the monthly
18        rent payments as set forth above (or increased or
19        decreased as set forth herein).".
20    In addition, if there is a change in lessee, or if the
21lessee vacates the property, then the chief county assessment
22officer may require the owner of the property to notify the
23chief county assessment officer of that change.
24    This subsection (e) does not apply to leasehold interests
25in property owned by a municipality.
26    (f) "Homestead property" under this Section includes

 

 

SB2842- 20 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1residential property that is occupied by its owner or owners as
2his or their principal dwelling place, or that is a leasehold
3interest on which a single family residence is situated, which
4is occupied as a residence by a person who has an ownership
5interest therein, legal or equitable or as a lessee, and on
6which the person is liable for the payment of property taxes.
7For land improved with an apartment building owned and operated
8as a cooperative or a building which is a life care facility as
9defined in Section 15-170 and considered to be a cooperative
10under Section 15-170, the maximum reduction from the equalized
11assessed value shall be limited to the increase in the value
12above the equalized assessed value of the property for 1977, up
13to the maximum reduction set forth above, multiplied by the
14number of apartments or units occupied by a person or persons
15who is liable, by contract with the owner or owners of record,
16for paying property taxes on the property and is an owner of
17record of a legal or equitable interest in the cooperative
18apartment building, other than a leasehold interest. For
19purposes of this Section, the term "life care facility" has the
20meaning stated in Section 15-170.
21    "Household", as used in this Section, means the owner, the
22spouse of the owner, and all persons using the residence of the
23owner as their principal place of residence.
24    "Household income", as used in this Section, means the
25combined income of the members of a household for the calendar
26year preceding the taxable year.

 

 

SB2842- 21 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1    "Income", as used in this Section, has the same meaning as
2provided in Section 3.07 of the Senior Citizens and Persons
3with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act, except that "income"
4does not include veteran's benefits.
5    (g) In a cooperative where a homestead exemption has been
6granted, the cooperative association or its management firm
7shall credit the savings resulting from that exemption only to
8the apportioned tax liability of the owner who qualified for
9the exemption. Any person who willfully refuses to so credit
10the savings shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
11    (h) Where married persons maintain and reside in separate
12residences qualifying as homestead property, each residence
13shall receive 50% of the total reduction in equalized assessed
14valuation provided by this Section.
15    (i) In all counties, the assessor or chief county
16assessment officer may determine the eligibility of
17residential property to receive the homestead exemption and the
18amount of the exemption by application, visual inspection,
19questionnaire or other reasonable methods. The determination
20shall be made in accordance with guidelines established by the
21Department, provided that the taxpayer applying for an
22additional general exemption under this Section shall submit to
23the chief county assessment officer an application with an
24affidavit of the applicant's total household income, age,
25marital status (and, if married, the name and address of the
26applicant's spouse, if known), and principal dwelling place of

 

 

SB2842- 22 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1members of the household on January 1 of the taxable year. The
2Department shall issue guidelines establishing a method for
3verifying the accuracy of the affidavits filed by applicants
4under this paragraph. The applications shall be clearly marked
5as applications for the Additional General Homestead
6Exemption.
7    (i-5) This subsection (i-5) applies to counties with
83,000,000 or more inhabitants. In the event of a sale of
9homestead property, the homestead exemption shall remain in
10effect for the remainder of the assessment year of the sale.
11Upon receipt of a transfer declaration transmitted by the
12recorder pursuant to Section 31-30 of the Real Estate Transfer
13Tax Law for property receiving an exemption under this Section,
14the assessor shall mail a notice and forms to the new owner of
15the property providing information pertaining to the rules and
16applicable filing periods for applying or reapplying for
17homestead exemptions under this Code for which the property may
18be eligible. If the new owner fails to apply or reapply for a
19homestead exemption during the applicable filing period or the
20property no longer qualifies for an existing homestead
21exemption, the assessor shall cancel such exemption for any
22ensuing assessment year.
23    (j) In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, in
24the event of a sale of homestead property the homestead
25exemption shall remain in effect for the remainder of the
26assessment year of the sale. The assessor or chief county

 

 

SB2842- 23 -LRB100 18753 HLH 33987 b

1assessment officer may require the new owner of the property to
2apply for the homestead exemption for the following assessment
3year.
4    (k) Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of the State Mandates
5Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
6implementation of any mandate created by this Section.
7(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-164, eff. 7-28-15;
899-642, eff. 7-28-16; 99-851, eff. 8-19-16; 100-401, eff.
98-25-17.)
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.