For years, older homeowners in Prince George’s County have supported the County through property taxes, local spending, volunteer service, and civic participation. Today, however, economic pressures are making it increasingly difficult for many to remain in the homes and communities they helped build.

Many jurisdictions provide relief through an Elderly Property Tax Credit. Such a credit does not unfairly shift costs to other residents; it helps longtime homeowners stay in the communities they have supported for decades. Prince George’s County leaders and officials should now follow through on their commitment to this important group of County residents.

In 2022, Prince George’s County enacted CB-29-2022, establishing the Elderly Property Tax Credit for qualifying homeowners age 65 and older who had owned and occupied their homes for at least 10 years. The program provided a credit of up to 20% of the County portion of property taxes for up to five years, subject to the program’s eligibility requirements.

It was later determined that the way the 20% cap interacted with the Homestead and Maryland Homeowners’ Property Tax Credits could reduce or eliminate the additional benefit of the Elderly Property Tax Credit for some qualifying seniors.

In 2024, the County enacted CB-007-2024, revising the Elderly Property Tax Credit to make it separate and distinct from the Homestead and Maryland Homeowners’ Property Tax Credits. During the legislative process, however, the ownership and occupancy requirement was increased from 10 years to 25 years.

In 2025, the County Council adopted CR-008-2025, delaying implementation of the revised Elderly Property Tax Credit while the County Council and Administration worked to address eligibility and implementation concerns. The suspension became effective June 30, 2025.

It is now 2026, and the Prince George’s County Department of Finance continues to list the Elderly Property Tax Credit as suspended, with applications not currently being accepted.

We, the undersigned, petition the Prince George’s County Executive and County Council to restore an Elderly Property Tax Credit (EPTC) that:

1) Makes homeowners age 65 and older eligible if they have owned and occupied the home as their principal residence for at least 10 years;

2) Provides a credit equal to 20% of the County portion of the eligible homeowner’s property taxes;

3) Makes the EPTC separate from and in addition to any Homestead or Maryland Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit for which the homeowner qualifies;

4) Makes the credit available for up to five years;

5) Maintains a reasonable assessed-property-value eligibility limit that adjusts over time as property values rise, rather than allowing an outdated threshold to exclude otherwise eligible seniors;

6) Protects seniors who previously qualified for or received the Elderly Property Tax Credit so that program changes do not unfairly eliminate benefits they were already entitled to receive; and

7) Requires regular public updates until the Elderly Property Tax Credit is fully restored and applications reopen, including a specific reopening date, clear eligibility requirements, and a straightforward application process.

Why the 10-year requirement matters
Increasing the ownership and occupancy requirement from 10 years to 25 years would substantially restrict eligibility and could force some senior homeowners to wait until well into their 70s or 80s before qualifying.

A senior tax-relief program should provide meaningful relief while seniors are able to benefit from it.

The original 10-year requirement recognized longtime homeownership without making seniors wait decades longer for assistance. We believe Prince George’s County should retain that reasonable standard.

Why Prince George’s County seniors deserve this tax relief
This tax credit is not about asking other residents to carry an unfair burden for seniors. It is about helping longtime older homeowners remain in the homes and communities they have spent years supporting.

Prince George’s County’s own housing data show why this matters.

Approximately 169,962 Prince George’s County residents are age 62 or older, representing about 18% of the County’s population, and older adults are identified as the County’s fastest-growing age group.

At the same time, the County reports that 30% of households containing at least one person age 62 or older have incomes at or below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI).

The County itself has identified affordable and accessible housing and resources that help seniors age in place among the housing and supportive-service needs of its elderly population.

A homeowner may have purchased a home decades ago when both the home’s value and the homeowner’s income looked very different. An increase in the assessed value of that home does not necessarily mean that an elderly homeowner has experienced a corresponding increase in available income.

Many seniors transition from employment income to Social Security, pensions, retirement savings, or other fixed and limited sources of income. Yet property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, and other costs associated with remaining in a home can continue to increase.

Prince George’s County’s senior homeowners have spent years contributing to the County. They have paid property taxes, supported schools and public services, maintained homes and neighborhoods, patronized local businesses, and helped build the communities in which we now live.

Helping longtime senior homeowners remain in those communities is not simply a benefit to the individual homeowner. Aging in place is itself a public-policy objective that Prince George’s County recognizes.

We are not asking Prince George’s County to invent a new benefit.

We are asking the County to restore meaningful access to a tax-relief program it already created for its senior homeowners—and to do so under eligibility requirements that allow seniors to actually live long enough to benefit from it.

Sources and Supporting Records
Prince George’s County Council — CB-29-2022
Original Elderly Property Tax Credit establishing the age 65+, 10-year ownership and occupancy requirement, 20% credit, and up-to-five-year benefit:
Read CB-29-2022

Prince George’s County Government — FY2025 Elderly Property Tax Credit Application
Shows that the program was implemented and applications were accepted under the original eligibility requirements:
View the County's Elderly Property Tax Credit application

Prince George’s County Council — CB-007-2024
Legislative record for the Revised Elderly Property Tax Credit:
View the CB-007-2024 legislative record

Prince George’s County Council — CR-008-2025
Resolution delaying implementation of the revised Elderly Property Tax Credit:
View the CR-008-2025 legislative record

Prince George’s County Department of Finance — Current Program Status
The County currently lists the Elderly Property Tax Credit as suspended and states that applications are not currently being accepted:
View the current Elderly Property Tax Credit status

Prince George’s County FY 2026–2030 Consolidated Plan
County data concerning its older population, income, housing needs, and aging in place:
Read the County's Consolidated Plan

Petition Authors: Carolyn Clark — Prince George’s County Resident & Nextdoor Community Member; Petition Initiator & Community Advocate
Candice Willie — Prince George’s County Resident & Nextdoor Community Member; Research, Drafting & Administrative Support