Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 plans to apply for Illinois’ Fiscal Year 2027 Property Tax Relief Grant, a state program designed to provide property tax relief to local taxpayers while helping school districts offset lost revenue.

The grant was discussed during the District 233 Board of Education meeting on June 16 as part of a finance update presented by Chief School Business Official Lawrence Cook.

After the discussion, Board President Gerald Pauling II indicated that the district intends to move forward with the application process.

Cook said the district has participated in the program since 2019 and has received grant funding in multiple years. The state did not fund the Property Tax Relief Grant program during fiscal year 2026, but funding has been restored for FY2027.

If awarded, the grant would allow District 233 to reduce its property tax levy while receiving state funding to offset a portion of the lost revenue. Cook noted that the tax relief would not be reflected immediately. Instead, it would apply to the second installment of the 2027 property tax bill, which is typically paid between August and December 2027 and falls during the 2027-28 school year.

Following the meeting, Cook said District 233 has returned nearly $30 million to taxpayers through a combination of mandatory and voluntary tax abatements since 2019, excluding years when the state grant program was unavailable.

The Property Tax Relief Grant is administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. School districts that receive funding agree to reduce or limit property tax collections in exchange for state grant funding.

No formal board action was taken on the application during the June 16 meeting. District officials discussed the grant as part of the district’s ongoing financial planning and efforts to provide property tax relief to residents.