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Chiang Responds to Governor’s Cuts to Homeowner and Renters Assistance

SACRAMENTO – State Controller John Chiang today issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s elimination of more than $190 million in Homeowner and Renters Assistance (HRA) property tax credits from the State Budget:

“The Governor’s veto of property tax assistance for seniors and low-income Californians will harm more than 530,000 taxpayers who have already applied for the State’s help.

“I encourage the Legislature to reject the Governor's veto, and offer my assistance to find a responsible course that restores funding for this valuable program. Many struggling households depend upon this assistance each year, and we should keep the door to this important resource open."

Controller Chiang, who chairs the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), has requested that HRA applicants be quickly notified that funding for the program was eliminated. The HRA program provides low-income individuals who are blind, disabled, or over the age of 62 with assistance payments ranging from $15 to $357 for renters and from $20 to $472 or homeowners, depending on the applicant’s total income. The FTB will continue to accept applications and hold them in case funding is restored.

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