The Taxpayer Relief Act provides for property tax reduction allocations to be distributed to school districts through a "homestead or farmstead exclusion." Act 1 of 2006 (formerly Act 72) is the Homeowner Tax Relief Act.How to apply for the Homestead Exemption to reduce your Real Estate Tax bill if you own your home in Philadelphia. Do not file any exemption applications with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance or with the Office of Real Property Tax Services. The Homestead Exemption reduces the taxable portion of your property assessment if you own your primary residence in Philadelphia. You can get information about your property tax benefits, including: Application status, Current benefit amounts, Proposed benefit for the upcoming tax year. A homestead exemption may also refer to statutes in some jurisdictions that offer property tax reductions for a primary residence. Exemption applications must be filed with your local assessor's office. See our Municipal Profiles for your local assessor's mailing address. The homestead exclusion is a way to target real property tax relief to homeowners who have their permanent residence in the taxing jurisdiction.