A fake video promising a federal property tax break has flooded the Hamilton County Auditor's Office with calls, and Auditor Jessica Miranda wants Evendale, Woodlawn, Sharonville and Springdale homeowners to know: the program doesn't exist.
The 30-minute AI-generated video, spotted on YouTube by the Auditor's Association of Ohio, directed older homeowners to visit their county auditor's office and request a "Federal Senior Homeowner Tax Review Request" form. It claimed Congress passed a decade-long or generational property tax break based on the decade a homeowner was born, according to Fox 19.
That form does not exist. Neither does the federal program.
"We've looked into that and confirmed that all of that is false information or misinformation, and we have asked every county auditor across the state to report that video," Miranda told Fox 19 on Aug. 11.
County auditors in Ohio administer property tax relief under state law. Congress has no role in local property tax bills. Miranda said auditor offices across the state have been fielding calls from residents who watched the video, WLWT reported.
YouTube removed the original video after auditors reported it, but auditor's office spokesperson Connor Moreton told Axios Cincinnati that other versions are likely still circulating. Miranda's office urged residents not to provide personal information based on online videos or articles without checking with official sources first.
What relief actually exists
The only targeted property tax relief for older Ohioans is the Homestead Exemption, administered by county auditors under state law. To qualify, homeowners must be at least 65, own and occupy their home as a primary residence, and have a gross income below $41,000 (excluding Social Security). The exemption shields the first $29,000 of a home's appraised value from taxation, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation.
Disabled veterans and surviving spouses of public service officers killed in the line of duty qualify for a $58,000 exemption with no income cap.
In a July 2 press release commending the Ohio General Assembly's passage of House Bill 479, Miranda noted that Hamilton County homestead applications dropped 68% after an income ceiling took effect in 2014, falling from 4,040 in 2013 to 1,265 in 2023.
House Bill 479 provides $350 million in one-time state funding to expand the Homestead Exemption. Qualifying recipients are expected to receive a $450–$500 reduction on first-half 2026 tax bills payable in 2027, with no separate application required.
How to apply or check eligibility
Corridor homeowners who believe they qualify for the Homestead Exemption must file with the Hamilton County Auditor's Office by Dec. 31, 2026. Residents already receiving the exemption do not need to reapply. Contact the Homestead Unit at 513-946-4099 or visit hcauditor.org.
