![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.norwoodnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/54673637641_8fb7bd4edf_k-1.jpg\")
<\/a>NEW YORK GOV. Kathy Hochul joined U.S. Sec. Hillary Rodham Clinton and #HalfTheStory to establish the first Teen Tech Council for New York, sharing authentic youth perspectives on the distraction-free school initiative on July 22, 2025 in New York. Photo courtesy of Luca Richman\/Clinton Foundation<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s Note: Norwood News is officially on our annual summer hiatus. However, we are continuing to publish some ad hoc stories online that we couldn\u2019t get to earlier this year. We hope you all get to enjoy the last few weeks of summer and thanks, as always, for reading.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced July 22 the start of Phase II of the School Tax Relief (STAR) program benefit season. Hochul said at the time that eligible homeowners in communities with school tax due dates in August or September would start receiving their STAR benefit in subsequent weeks. <\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said most homeowners eligible for a STAR credit would receive a check for between $350 and $600 and most seniors eligible for an enhanced STAR credit would receive a check for between $700 and $1,500. STAR recipients can visit ny.gov\/STAR<\/a>\u00a0to track their check delivery or enroll in direct deposit.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe STAR program provides needed school tax relief to millions of New York homeowners \u2014 and the program is now in full swing,\u201d the governor said.\u00a0\u201cDuring a time of financial uncertainty due to funding cuts by Republicans in Washington, my administration is putting\u00a0money\u00a0back\u00a0in the pockets of families with check and credit deliveries continuing to go out to hundreds of thousands of homeowners statewide.\u201d<\/p>\n Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said in part, \u201cBecause of the STAR program, more than three million homeowners across the state will receive $2.2 billion in tax relief, easing the financial burden on families and putting\u00a0money\u00a0back\u00a0into our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Phase I saw STAR credits and checks delivered to parts of New York State with school tax due dates in June and July, including New York City, Yonkers, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. State officials said STAR deliveries to those regions were completed in mid-July.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n They went on to say that the STAR program provides property tax relief to eligible New York State homeowners and that during STAR benefit season, which runs from June to November, nearly three million homeowners will receive more than $2.2 billion in property tax relief through the program.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n They said homeowners who are eligible and enrolled in the STAR program receive their benefit each year in one of two ways: as an exemption that reduces their school tax bill, or as a credit issued as a check or direct deposit.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n They said those who receive the STAR credit as a check or direct deposit can visit the STAR Credit Delivery Schedule<\/a> to learn when credits will be issued in their area and property owners who are looking for details about STAR credits that have already been issued should visit the Property Tax Credit Lookup<\/a>.<\/p>\n They said homeowners can enroll in the STAR Credit Direct Deposit<\/a>\u00a0program through the\u00a0Homeowner Benefit Portal<\/a> within the Tax Department\u2019s secure online services system, and homeowners can also use the Homeowner Benefit Portal to manage their STAR benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n State officials said the direct deposit option enables eligible STAR credit recipients to get their STAR credits without having to wait for and cash a check. They said to ensure they receive their STAR credit by direct deposit this year, homeowners should enroll as soon as possible. <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n