1. When did you acquire this property? To qualify for the homeowners' exemption, the home must have been the principal residence of the owner as of January 1 of that tax year.Complete a homestead declaration form. Fill out this form and our personal injury or debt attorneys will contact you for a free evaluation. First Name(Required). Homestead Exemption Types. Requirements; Eligible Properties; Amount of Exemption ; Abandonment of Homestead. Follow the instructions on the form for preparing an application package that includes plans. School Districts may offer Special Assessment (SA) tax exemptions to eligible taxpayers. Many California families are forgetting to claim a common homeowner tax break.