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Assessor briefs commissioners on senior/disabled property tax deferral program and county outreach
Summary
The county assessor summarized Oregon's senior and disabled property tax deferral program (a state‑run deferral with a 6% annual interest rate and a $500,000 net‑worth cap excluding the residence); 376 Clackamas County households used the deferral in 2025–26, representing about $356,000 in deferred taxes.
County Assessor Bronson Rueta briefed commissioners on Oregon's senior and disabled property tax deferral program, which the assessor described as a state‑administered deferral (not an abatement) operated by the Oregon Department of Revenue. Rueta explained the program places a lien on the home, requires recertification every two years, and accrues 6% interest annually on deferred balances.
Eligibility criteria described by the assessor include a net worth cap of $500,000 (the value of the residence is excluded from the net‑worth calculation), an income cap (thresholds referenced in guidance), and a minimum residency period on the property (five years). For the 2025–26 tax year, the assessor said 376 Clackamas County homesteads were enrolled in the program, with roughly $356,000 in property taxes deferred; 91% of enrolled households used the senior deferral portion.
Commissioners discussed the program's benefits and limitations, the effects of a continuing 6% interest rate and whether state policy alternatives (interest caps, portability models used by other states) would better serve seniors. The board asked staff to help promote program information on county websites and through county communications, with assessor review for accuracy.
