[Adopted 2-28-1984 by Ord. No. 895 as
Art. I of Ch. 304 of the 1984 Code]
It is the purpose of this article to create
an orderly procedure by which persons deemed to be paupers under the
General Property Tax Law of the State of Michigan may be granted relief.
[Amended 4-17-1995 by Ord. No. 1067]
The City hereby adopts by reference MSA § 7.7,
the same being MCL § 211.7, including all subsections thereof
and any and all amendments thereto that have been made or that may
be made from time to time, as if the same were fully set forth herein.
[Amended 4-17-1995 by Ord. No. 1067; 8-13-2002 by Ord. No. 1169; 2-14-2006 by Ord. No. 1196; 9-23-2008 by Ord. No.
1215]
A. It is the purpose of this article to empower the Assessor
and the Board of Review to make the determination in the event of
the allegation of poverty and proof thereof by any person to make
a reasonable arrangement with the City for the payment of his or her
tax obligations and/or for an exemption thereof.
B. The City hereby establishes the following procedures
and minimum standards as a guideline for the determination of poverty
hardship exemptions as intended pursuant to MCL § 211.7(u)
and Public Acts of 1994, No. 390:
(1) The applicant must be the owner of and occupy as a
homestead the property for which the exemption is requested.
(2) The applicant must timely file a claim with the Board
of Review on a form provided by the City Assessor’s office.
Federal and state returns for the immediately preceding year shall
be submitted for all owners and all persons residing in the household
(3) The applicant must produce a valid driver's license
or other form of identification if requested by the Board of Review.
(4) The applicant must produce a deed, land contract or
other evidence of ownership of the property for which an exemption
is requested if required by the Board of Review.
(5) The income of all property owners, including that
of each householder as defined by P.A. 390 of 1994, must not be more
than that amount set by the Federal Government in its poverty level
standards.
(6) The valuation of assets owned by all property owners
and any householder must not be greater than $75,000. In determining
the value of assets, any equity in the residence under appeal shall
not be included.
(7) Consideration for the granting of a poverty hardship
exemption shall be made after calculating all property tax rebates,
including but not limited to the Michigan homestead property tax credit.
C. Based on the information provided, the Board of Review
will make a determination whether a full or partial exemption will
be granted.
The City Assessor and the Board of Review may
accept a regular real estate mortgage and note to secure the amounts
advanced by the City for the payment of the pauper's tax billing.
[Adopted 2-28-1984 by Ord. No. 895 as
Art. II of Ch. 304 of the 1984 Code]
The tax exemption established in Subsection
(1) of Section 15a of Act No. 346 of the Michigan Public Acts of 1966,
as amended, shall not apply to any and all housing projects situated
within the boundaries of the City which are financed with any mortgage
aided by, or any financial advance or grant from, the United States
Government or the State Housing Development Authority of the State
of Michigan.
It is the legislative intent of this article
that the City implement the provisions contained in Subsection (2)
of Section 15a of Act No. 346 of the Michigan Public Acts of 1966,
as amended, to the end that nonprofit housing projects within the
corporate boundaries of the City shall not be exempt from ad valorem
property taxation as provided in Subsection (1) of Section 15a of
said Act.
This article shall be effective with respect
to any housing project for which an exemption has already been granted
in the year 1968.