Mecklenburg County homeowners have a little more than a week left to apply for a program that can reduce their 2026 property tax bill by hundreds of dollars.

The deadline for the Helping Out Mecklenburg Homeowners with Economic Support program, better known as HOMES, is Friday, Nov. 20.

Qualifying homeowners can receive up to $650 in assistance.

Town of Davidson residents may qualify for an additional municipal grant on top of the County award.

Who may qualify

Applicants must have lived in their home for at least three years.

Household income must fall within the program limits, which are based on household size and 80% of the area median income.

Applicants can have no more than one delinquent property tax bill in the past three years.

There is no age requirement.

Your mortgage does not have to be paid off, and homeowners whose mortgage company pays property taxes through escrow may still qualify.

What you should have ready

The County says applicants should be prepared to provide 2025 income-verification documents such as W-2, W-4, 1099 or SSI forms.

Incomplete applications can slow the process, so gather the required verification documents before submitting.

How the grant works

The HOMES grant is not sent to the homeowner as cash.

The award is paid to the Mecklenburg County Tax Collector and applied toward the qualifying homeowner’s property tax bill.

The County calculates the award at 35% of the Mecklenburg County tax amount on the 2026 bill, up to the $650 maximum.

Thousands of homeowners have already applied

Since applications opened July 1, Mecklenburg County says it has received more than 8,000 applications and awarded more than $2.8 million.

The average award reported by the County is $523.

Do not wait until the deadline if you qualify

Applications are processed in the order they are received and funding is available only until program funds are exhausted.

New applicants and homeowners who previously received a HOMES grant are both encouraged to apply.

Applications and required documents must be submitted or postmarked by Nov. 20.

Apply for the HOMES program through Mecklenburg County’s official application page.

Read Mecklenburg County’s deadline reminder for the latest application and award totals.

Use these Mecklenburg County resources to check eligibility and apply before the Nov. 20 deadline.

Apply for the HOMES Program

Review eligibility, income limits, required documents and the application process.

Mecklenburg County Deadline Reminder

Read the County's latest reminder with current application and award totals.