Should Wu sign off on the proposal, the legislation would then head to Beacon Hill, where state lawmakers would also need to approve it.

This most recent action by the council to provide elderly or otherwise vulnerable residential property owners with some form of tax relief comes two days after Wu opted to revive her property tax home rule petition after it had been presumed dead at the end of last year.

Her re-filed legislation includes a compromise deal she negotiated with prominent business group leaders in the fall to temporarily shift more of the city's property tax burden onto commercial real estate. Wu's goal is to soften a sharp increase in property tax bills for homeowners and landlords, who grappled with the first wave of higher taxes when third quarter property tax bills landed in mailboxes at the start of January.

Wu's revived proposal also includes some new provisions, such as the option to provide rebates to homeowners in the event lawmakers choose not to approve the tax shift. It also includes the exact same language that makes up the proposal approved by the Boston City Council Wednesday, to expand tax breaks for eligible, low-income senior homeowners.

The legislation would increase the amount of the existing property tax exemption for senior homeowners, and also expand the eligibility requirements so more seniors can qualify for the tax break.

On Wednesday, at least one councilor expressed hesitation and concern over whether approving this home rule petition would potentially undermine the mayor's property tax proposal on Beacon Hill. Councilor Brian Worrell, the original sponsor of the legislation the council ultimately approved, said he felt it necessary to get it up to the State House regardless.

"We're trying to get it up [to the State House] as soon as possible to be passed, not knowing when the mayor's proposal will pass, or what from the mayor's proposal will be attached in a home rule petition," Worrell said. "But I do believe that having a senior tax exemption by itself, it could get through both the House and the Senate."

With remote work policies keeping office buildings emptier than they were pre-pandemic, the value of commercial real estate has dropped -- reducing the amount the city can collect from those buildings in taxes. At the same time, residential property values rose.