What is Homestead Fraud? Homestead fraud occurs when a person who has filed for homestead exemption or is currently receiving homestead exemption is determined not to be a permanent resident of Lee County, or who is not in good faith residing on the property on which he or she filed.
What does the law say? Pursuant to Sections 193.155 (9) and 196.161 of the Florida Statutes , property owners who intentionally cheat on their homestead exemption will have a tax lien placed against their properties, be back taxed for up to 10 years (as applicable), be required to pay a sizable penalty (50% of the unpaid taxes for each year), and pay interest at a rate of 15% per year.
How does this affect me? Fraudulent homestead exemptions steal from our law enforcement, our schools, our libraries, and lower our quality of life in Lee County. Those tax dollars have to be made up somewhere, and the honest tax payers get stuck making up the difference.
What can I do to help? If you know or suspect homestead fraud is taking place, let us know about it. You are not required to provide your name when reporting suspected fraud. If you wish to remain anonymous, please complete the form below and omit the contact information, or you may call (239) 533-6299.
Report Homestead Fraud