Do I qualify for LOOP, the Longtime Owner Occupants Program?
You may qualify for LOOP if your property assessment went up at least 50% over last year, or at least 75% over the past five years, and you meet the city's other requirements for income, how long you've lived in the home, and being current on your taxes. The city accepts LOOP applications year-round. Apply by September 30 for the benefit to count on that year's bill.
- One-year test
- Assessment up at least 50% over last year
- Five-year test
- Assessment up at least 75% over the past five years
- Also required
- You own and live in the home, have lived there for the city's minimum length of time, are under the income limit, and are current on your taxes or in a payment plan
- Deadline
- September 30, for that year's bill. Applications are accepted year-round.
- With the Homestead Exemption
- Not allowed. You can have one or the other.
How LOOP works
LOOP puts a cap on your assessment so the city can't bill you above it. If you qualify on last year's change, your bill is capped at a 50% increase over the previous year. If you qualify on the five-year change, your assessment is capped at a 75% increase over the lowest amount. The cap stays as long as you remain eligible, so your bill stays the same unless the tax rate changes.
If your assessment went up by exactly 50% or 75%, LOOP won't save you money right away compared with the Homestead Exemption. The savings come from each dollar your value rises beyond those thresholds.
LOOP or the Homestead Exemption
You can't have LOOP and the Homestead Exemption at the same time. If you have the Homestead Exemption, you ask to remove it when you apply for LOOP. The city's Property Search website has a calculator that compares the two.
What the lookup checks
The lookup on this site checks only the assessment test, using your property's assessment history. It can't check income, how long you've lived in the home or your tax balance, so a match means you may qualify.
How to apply
Apply online through the Philadelphia Tax Center or by mail, with proof of income. The city's LOOP page has the income limits by household size, the application and the mailing address.
Verified against the city's LOOP page.