Raleigh homeowners call for help paying rising property taxes

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Rising property taxes are raising stress levels for some Raleigh homeowners.

Hundreds gathered in person and virtually Thursday, calling for a property tax assistance program for low income, long-time homeowners.

The group calls itself OneWake. It presented a plan to create a grant program to help low income families offset the ever increasing property taxes.

Members of the group told ABC11 they had been in their homes most of their lives and deserved to be treated better, not priced out of their own neighborhood.

"I don't want to be the poorest of the poor just to get something that I certainly deserve," Vicki Hewitt said. "I would hope the city would look into the proposal and some programs that would help us out as homeowners and good citizens of Raleigh, which we have been for many years."

Homeowner Joni Coburn agreed with Hewitt, saying she's just doing the best she can for her family.

"We're trying to renovate and update and hold down the home, so we can have some foundations for our children and grandchildren to come back to, and to not be able to afford taxes is not a good thing."