The homestead exemp- tion provides a reduction in property taxes to qualified senior or disabled citizens, or a surviving spouse, on the dwelling that is that. Who is eligible for a Homestead Exemption?The applicant must have owned and occupied the property as of January 1 and must have been 65 years of age or older during the tax year in question. The homestead exemption allows lowincome senior citizens and permanently and totally disabled Ohioans, to reduce their property tax bills. Summary. In April 2023, Cook County prioritized three research questions regarding Illinois' homestead exemptions for further study.