Budget & Taxes (Property Tax)

This bill provides temporary tax relief for Avanti Real Estate Services, LLC by authorizing the Chief Financial Officer to forgive up to $377,000 in real property taxes, penalties, and fees for a specific property at 3421 14th Street, N.W. (Lot 123, Square 2836) in Ward 1. The relief applies only if the property is occupied by Avanti and used for its stated purposes: providing real estate services, promoting homeownership, employing District residents, and offering industry training. The tax relief is temporary, expiring 225 days after enactment, and cancels any pending tax sales for the property. This is a targeted, one-time adjustment for a specific property, not a new tax policy.

This bill would provide a complete property tax exemption for disabled veterans in the District of Columbia who have a 100% service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as for their surviving spouses or the surviving spouses of veterans who died in the line of duty. It removes the current $159,750 household income limit and replaces the partial $445,000 deduction with a full exemption, aligning with policies in Maryland and Virginia. The exemption applies to the primary residence and associated property, while preserving the requirement for a VA disability rating.

The Senior Property Tax Aggregation Amendment Act of 2025 would allow seniors aged 65 or older who live in a home to combine their ownership shares with other eligible co-owners (also 65+ and living in the home) to meet the 50% ownership requirement for property tax relief. Currently, seniors with less than 50% individual ownership - such as those sharing a family home with siblings - cannot qualify for tax relief even if they meet age and income criteria, risking tax sales. The bill amends eligibility rules to permit this aggregation, preventing unnecessary foreclosures for seniors in multi-owner homes. This change aligns the District's policy with most states that focus on age, income, and residency rather than strict individual ownership percentages.

This bill (B 26-0484) simplifies property tax appeals in D.C. by removing a rule that blocked adjustments to assessments if the error was within 5% of the original value. It directly affects residential and commercial property owners who face overpayments due to assessment errors, particularly lower-income residents and seniors. Key changes include extending authorization letters for appeals to 3 years, requiring RPTAC decisions to be issued within 30 days (by March 1 instead of February 1), standardizing deadlines to business days, and allowing electronic delivery of appeals communications. These provisions aim to reduce administrative burdens and make the system more timely and accessible.