Cuyahoga County reports 350 applications to senior property-tax pilot; officials call for broader outreach

Cuyahoga County Treasurer Michael Cromes on Tuesday updated the County Council Finance and Budgeting Committee on a two-year taxpayer assistance pilot that offers one-time grants to older homeowners who are certified tax delinquent.

The program provides up to $10,000 in direct assistance to qualifying homeowners age 70 or older with annual incomes of $70,000 or less and pairs each grant with housing counseling from a HUD-certified counselor supplied through CHN Housing Partners. "The taxpayer assistance program is a 2 year pilot program that consists of a up to $10,000 one time grant to taxpayers who are already certified tax delinquent, who are over age 70, and who make $70,000 or less per year," Cromes said.

County staff said the program has a total two-year budget of $5 million: $2,000,000 per year for direct assistance and $500,000 per year for counseling and support. Funding comes from the delinquent tax assessment collection fund (DTAC). CHN Housing Partners processes applications through a nine‑page online portal, triages applicants, and delivers counseling and approval recommendations to the Treasurer's office.

Why it matters: Council…