Far too many Veterans are facing challenging circumstances that endanger their quality of life and threaten to push them out of our communities. One of the biggest drivers of financial uncertainty for many is the rising cost of housing. There are approximately 35,000 senior Veterans with a disability currently living in Massachusetts. Often relying on fixed income, these Veterans are extremely vulnerable to the rising property taxes. Disabled veterans are struggling to find affordable places to rent or buy, to keep up with the rising housing prices, or afford the financial costs associated with staying in their home.

This bill is intended to support the group of Veterans who are most likely to struggle with property tax bills —senior veterans with permanent, service-connected disabilities — while limiting costs to the Commonwealth. The bill would create a new subsection in Massachusetts Law to allow disabled Veterans a property tax exemption equal to the percentage of the Veteran’s permanent, service-connected disability as determined by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. This language also requires the Commonwealth to reimburse municipalities for the amount of the tax which would otherwise have been collected.

Many of our Veterans have suffered devastating, life-changing injuries in connection with their military service and worrying about whether property taxes will prevent them from staying in their homes should be least of their concerns.