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New Milford council extends homestead-exemption filing deadline to April 15, schedules Feb. 9 hearing
Summary
The New Milford Town Council voted by voice to extend the homestead exemption application deadline from Dec. 31 to April 15 and set a public hearing on the revised ordinance for Feb. 9, 2026, after staff said many residents were confused about eligibility and a public commenter described financial hardship.
The New Milford Town Council voted by voice on Jan. 30 to extend the filing deadline for the town’s homestead exemption from Dec. 31 to April 15 and set a public hearing on the revised ordinance for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2026, at New Milford Town Hall.
Town staff member Brian told the council the amendment is intended to allow late filers to apply after confusion about eligibility produced a number of phone inquiries. Brian said the extension would be written into the ordinance to apply going forward and estimated the change could yield roughly 700 applicants next year rather than a much larger figure previously discussed.
At the public-comment portion of the hearing, June Allen of New Milford said she owns a condo she rents and is “losing money on my place.” Allen said she cannot raise rents because the assessor averaged rental income and that, as a result, she is assessed on a higher figure than she receives; she also said she has five chronic illnesses and questioned the residency requirement for the homestead exemption. “I’m not a homestead, but I’m losing money on my place,” Allen said.
Council members asked for the date to be clarified during the exchange and then conducted a voice vote in favor of extending the application period; the transcript records oral “ayes” and no recorded roll-call tally. The council’s notice, read into the record by staff, cites sections 405 and 406 of the town charter and chapter 98 of the General Statutes and says a copy of the revised ordinance is on file in the town clerk’s office for public inspection.
The town clerk’s notice named the location for the Feb. 9 public hearing as the Eaul Martin room at New Milford Town Hall, 10 Main Street; the transcript uses that room name. After the homestead-item exchange the hearing portion was closed and the council announced the town council meeting would begin at 7:00 p.m.
Next steps: the council will take public comment on the revised ordinance at the Feb. 9 hearing; the transcript does not record a roll-call vote or a written tally for the extension motion.
