The City Council approved a measure Wednesday that will lower property taxes for city homeowners.
The council, by a 12-to-0 vote, passed a higher residential exemption given to owners of single-family homes who make their Boston houses their primary residences.
The measure increases the exemption to 35 percent of a single-family home’s value. The previous exemption was 30 percent. The change will increase the average exemption to $2,435 from $1,963.
The higher exemption, coupled with a declining tax rate and rising assessed values, will lead to an average savings of $299 — from $3,533 to $3,234 — for qualified homeowners, officials said.
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To qualify for the exemption, residents must have lived in their homes by Jan. 1. They must apply for the exemption with the city.
Some homeowners, who have substantially higher property values or live in high-end communities, may not see a decrease on their tax bill, officials cautioned. And commercial owners will shoulder much of the tax burden, officials said. But a majority of residents should expect the savings.
Councilor Mark Ciommo, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee who proposed the measure, said the city now has the financial cushion to help middle-class families. The proposal came up during the city’s assessing review.
“The expanded residential exemption further reduces the burden on residential taxpayers, helps to make homeownership more affordable, and contributes to the stability of our neighborhoods,” said Ciommo.
Under state law, the city can increase the amount of taxes levied by a maximum of 2.5 percent — in a manner that provides the most tax benefit to residents.
Meghan E. Irons can be reached at meghan.irons@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @meghanirons.