Deadline approaching for seniors’ freeze on property taxes: Atlanta’s $10M initiative 

 

 

Atlanta’s Anti-Displacement Tax Relief Fund offers long-term property tax relief to eligible senior homeowners to prevent displacement due to rising property values.

 

The program is privately financed, freezing property tax rates for seniors at current levels and covering future increases for up to 20 years.

 

Seniors must act quickly to apply by the deadline of May 31, 2025, with eligibility criteria including age, residency, income limits, and homeownership status.

 

With just two weeks left before a crucial deadline, advocates and city leaders in Atlanta are calling on senior homeowners to act quickly to avoid being priced out of their homes.

 

Wayne Martin, former vice president at Morehouse School of Medicine and a candidate for Atlanta City Council District 11, held an emergency news conference Sunday at the intersection of Beecher Street and Cascade Avenue in Southwest Atlanta to promote the city’s Anti-Displacement Tax Relief Fund. He was joined by senior residents and community supporters who have benefited from the program.

 

The citywide program, administered by the City’s development authority, called Invest Atlanta and backed by a $10 million commitment from the Centennial Yards Housing Trust Fund, provides long-term relief by covering property tax increases above a set base level for eligible senior homeowners. The initiative aims to prevent displacement caused by gentrification and rising property values.

 

To qualify, residents must be 60 or older, have lived in Atlanta since 2015, maintain an active homestead exemption, meet income limits, and own their home free of liens or other encumbrances. The program freezes property tax rates at current levels and covers future increases for up to 20 years.

 

 

Local seniors who have already enrolled in the program spoke at the event, sharing how the tax relief helps them stay in their homes amid rising costs.

 

“I applied because the taxes were going up, up, and away,” said Diane Trimble, a resident of Oakland City for 40 years. “I’m on a fixed income, and I wanted to make sure I could stay in my house.”

 

Linda Brantley, a Beecher Hills resident who also applied for the program, said the relief provides peace of mind. “It makes me feel awesome knowing that I wouldn’t have to pay [increased] taxes,” she said. “I get a chance to save and do other things.”

 

Martin stressed the situation’s urgency, urging eligible residents to apply immediately and encouraging the broader community to help spread the word.

 

“Our seniors have paid their dues. They built our communities, raised families, and kept the culture of Atlanta alive,” Martin said. “They deserve to age in place with dignity.”

 

 

For more information or to apply, visit www.investatlanta.com/taxrelief

 

Seniors may also seek help through community partners, including Meals on Wheels Atlanta, Rebuilding Together Atlanta, and The Nehemiah Project.