Tyler Perry, the renowned actor, filmmaker, studio owner and philanthropist has made a significant donation of $2.75 million to help prevent senior citizen homeowners in Atlanta from being displaced.
Perry’s donation will provide assistance to the city’s low-income senior residents near his studio. The entrepreneur noticed the rising property taxes in their area making it harder for these legacy residents to stay in the neighbourhood. Many of the residents are on the brink of losing their homes.
A portion of Perry’s $2.75 million donation has already begun helping these residents. Perry gave $750,000 of that donation to pay off all property taxes for 300 low-income seniors in Atlanta. It will cover not only city taxes but back county and school taxes as well.
In a statement, the Atlanta mayor’s office said the funds will also freeze property taxes for 100 low-income seniors as it will help pay “the difference between present-day property taxes and property tax increases” through a pilot program.
Perry has gone the extra mile by committing to a $500,000 donation each year for the next four years to ensure the senior residents are not faced with further increases.
“So… I knew that the success of my studio would affect all the property values around it. But make no mistake the seniors on fixed incomes around the studio will not lose their homes because of past due or rising taxes… no sir!!” he wrote in the post. “We ain’t doing that to our legacy.” “Thank you Mayor Dickens and Invest Atlanta for caring about our folks,” he added. “God bless.”
