What must homeowners do to receive a homestead exemption?

To receive a homestead exemption, homeowners are required to apply for the exemption and also occupy the property as their primary residence. This process is crucial as the homestead exemption is designed to provide tax relief to homeowners by reducing the amount of property taxes they owe. The eligibility criteria typically require that the individual applying for the exemption must be the owner of the property and must use the home as their principal residence. This ensures that the exemption benefits those who are genuinely living in and maintaining the property as their home, rather than those who might use it as a rental or investment property.

Filing a lawsuit, submitting an annual income statement, or self-assessing the property value do not align with the requirements for a homestead exemption. The focus is on ownership and occupancy rather than legal disputes, income qualifications, or informal property assessments.