PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. — A massive $535,000 disability tax exemption once attached to a Fort Pierce home owned by Pembroke Park Mayor Geoffrey Jacobs and his wife is no longer listed in St. Lucie County property records, a change that comes after a Local 10 News investigation into the mayor’s residency.
County records previously showed Jacobs and his wife, Angela, were receiving a Service-Connected Total and Permanent Disability Exemption on the $565,000 home they purchased in December 2024.
That exemption, one of the most significant tax benefits available under Florida law, reduced the taxable value of the home by $535,000. Based on St. Lucie County’s tax rate, it was worth approximately $10,000 to $10,400 per year in property tax savings.
It has now been removed from the property appraiser’s website.
Under Florida Statute 196.081, a veteran who is honorably discharged and determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be totally and permanently disabled due to service is entitled to a full exemption on the assessed value of property if the property is the veteran’s homestead, meaning their permanent residence.
Florida law requires the property receiving the exemption to be the applicant’s permanent residence as of Jan. 1 of the tax year.
This issue surfaced during a Local 10 News investigation into where Jacobs actually lives.
Jacobs has publicly stated he lives in Pembroke Park and is registered to vote there. Residency within the town is required to serve as mayor.
St. Lucie County records previously showed he was receiving the substantial total and permanent disability homestead exemption on the Fort Pierce home.
Now, that $535,000 exemption is no longer reflected in public records.
The property is still receiving a $25,000 homestead exemption and a $5,000 veteran’s disability exemption, according to current county records. The larger total and permanent exemption is no longer listed.
Local 10 News has confirmed that Jacobs purchased the Fort Pierce home using a VA-backed mortgage.
VA loan guidelines require borrowers to certify that they intend to occupy the property as their primary residence. VA loans are designed for owner-occupied homes.
Local 10 News has reached out multiple times to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeking clarification regarding occupancy requirements and whether any review is underway. We are awaiting a response.
When asked why the $535,000 exemption was removed, the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser’s Office declined to provide details.
In an email, Chief Deputy Kara Odom, representing Property Appraiser Michelle Franklin, told Local 10 News:
“Like the exemption form itself any withdrawal is typically deemed confidential as well. Any update to the property that is public information would be reflected on our website and/or a tax bill.”
The office did not indicate whether the exemption was voluntarily withdrawn, administratively amended, or removed following a review.
A source familiar with the situation told Local 10 News that Jacobs contacted the Property Appraiser’s Office and had the exemption amended following our investigation. The county has not confirmed that information.
Jacobs did not respond to multiple emails and text messages seeking comment.
His attorney, Michael Pizzi, skirted questions about the exemption during a news conference onTuesday and did not directly address why the mayor had claimed the total and permanent homestead exemption in St. Lucie County while publicly maintaining residency in Pembroke Park.
The removal of the exemption raises questions about residency consistency and public trust.
Because the exemption requires permanent residency at the property receiving the benefit, the situation has prompted scrutiny over whether the Fort Pierce home or the Pembroke Park address was the mayor’s true homestead for tax purposes.
At this point, it is unclear whether the exemption was removed voluntarily, amended administratively, or withdrawn after review by the Property Appraiser’s Office.
What is clear from public records is that the $535,000 exemption — worth roughly $10,000 annually — is no longer attached to the mayor’s Fort Pierce property.
Local 10 News continues to seek clarification from both the mayor and the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser’s Office.
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