South Florida Cities Offer Property Tax Refunds for Seniors

Hialeah and Miami launch programs to provide tax relief for qualifying homeowners 65 and older.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:43pm

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A vibrant abstract illustration composed of overlapping triangles and rectangles in shades of blue, orange, and green, conceptually representing the financial assistance provided by city-level property tax relief programs for senior homeowners.Innovative municipal programs offer property tax refunds to help senior citizens in South Florida manage rising housing costs.West Palm Beach Today

The cities of Hialeah and Miami in South Florida have launched new programs to provide property tax refunds to qualifying senior citizens. The refunds, which average around $500, cover the city's portion of property taxes and are available to homesteaded seniors 65 and older who meet certain income limits. Local officials say these programs show cities can take action to provide tax relief without waiting for state lawmakers, and they hope the model can be replicated across Florida.

Why it matters

As property taxes continue to rise in Florida, these city-level programs aim to offer direct financial assistance to senior homeowners who are often on fixed incomes and struggling to afford the increasing costs. The initiatives demonstrate that municipalities can be proactive in addressing this issue, rather than relying solely on state-level solutions.

The details

In Miami-Dade County, the city of Hialeah began issuing property tax refund checks to qualifying seniors a few weeks ago. To be eligible, residents must be 65 or older, have a homesteaded property, and meet certain income limits. The refunds only cover the city's portion of property taxes, excluding school taxes. Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo says the average refund check is around $500. The city of Miami has also launched a similar program. Calvo says these initiatives show cities can 'get it done right now' without waiting for the state legislature to act, and he believes the model can be replicated across Florida.

  • Hialeah began issuing the property tax refund checks to seniors a few weeks ago.
  • The city of Miami has also recently launched a program to provide similar property tax refunds to qualifying senior citizens.

The players

Bryan Calvo

The 28-year-old mayor of Hialeah, who says his city is the first in Florida to offer property tax refunds to qualifying senior citizens.

Hialeah

A city in Miami-Dade County, Florida that is providing property tax refunds to homesteaded seniors 65 and older who meet income limits.

Miami

A city in South Florida that has also launched a program to provide property tax refunds to qualifying senior citizens.

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What they’re saying

“We don't have to wait for the legislature to act; we can act at the municipal level.”

— Bryan Calvo, Mayor of Hialeah

“This program shows we can get it done right now and we can get it done in a way that's fiscally responsible. We didn't cut services and didn't raise any tax on anyone else.”

— Bryan Calvo, Mayor of Hialeah

“I think this is a model that can be replicated across the state of Florida. We've shown that it works, and I've had many cities reach out and want to understand it a little bit further.”

— Bryan Calvo, Mayor of Hialeah

What’s next

Local officials and state leaders in Florida will continue to monitor the success of the property tax refund programs in Hialeah and Miami, with the hope that other cities across the state will adopt similar initiatives to provide direct relief to senior homeowners.

The takeaway

These city-level property tax refund programs for seniors demonstrate that municipalities can take proactive steps to address the burden of rising property taxes, rather than waiting for state-level solutions. The programs in Hialeah and Miami show that it's possible to provide targeted financial assistance to vulnerable residents without cutting services or raising taxes on others.