In the wake of recent natural tumult, residents of our city grappling with the aftermath of a devastating tornado now have a resource to ease their financial burdens—property tax relief. According to to the City of St. Louis, following the passage of Board Bill #24 by the Board of Aldermen and its subsequent signing by the Mayor on May 30, a new channel has been made available to homeowners struck by disaster. Under Ch. 137.082 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, the statute allows for the Assessor's office to prorate property taxes on residences rendered "unoccupied and uninhabitable."
A vital stipulation of the relief is that property owners must furnish their information using forms provided by the Assessor's office. These forms have recently been made accessible, as reported by the City of St. Louis official announcement. The Board of Equalization bears the responsibility for evaluating these applications, and while they wrap up their work on 2025 reassessment appeals at August's end, they will begin considering tornado damage claims in September. A critical deadline approaches, for applications need submission by October 1st to be considered before year-end tax bills are dispatched.
This tax relief option is exclusively at the disposal of residential property owners, whose real estate has been so heavily impacted that it no longer provides shelter. The degree of proration applied to property taxes will be contingent upon the duration the property remains unoccupied or in disrepair. It ranges from scenarios where a home is swiftly repaired within 30 days to instances where reconstruction is off the horizon for the current year.
However, it is important to note this relief does not extend to all property types. Properties classified as commercial or agricultural, as well as personal assets like vehicles and business equipment, are excluded from this particular tax relief measure. The same holds true for residential properties that withstood damage but remained tenable; these homeowners may have to seek solace in alternative assistance programs.
