© 2024 WEMU
Serving Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, MI
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Ypsilanti votes to help low income residents reduce property taxes

Ypsilanti City Hall
Josh Hakala
/
89.1 WEMU
Ypsilanti City Hall

The city of Ypsilanti is altering its property tax income threshold to help low income residents.

Last year, in order to qualify for a poverty exemption from the city, someone’s income needed to be in line with the federal poverty threshold. That was $12,880 per year which only saw 11 households approved for a 50% reduction of their property taxes.

Under the new plan, approved unanimously at last night’s special city council meeting, that threshold was raised. Now at $24,750, it’s nearly double.

Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Wilcoxen says that number was calculated based on 30 percent of the area median income.

“It gives them some relief. Rather than people defaulting on their taxes because they can’t meet them or having to use their last bit of assets – we don’t want people to choose between food and paying their taxes.”

Wilcoxen says a sliding scale was added where someone’s property taxes can be reduced by 25, 50 or 100% based on their income and assets.

Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support.  Make your donation to WEMU todayto keep your community NPR station thriving.

Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Contact WEMU News at734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org

Josh Hakala is the general assignment reporter for the WEMU news department.
Related Content