“Residence” means the principal dwelling place occupied in this State by a household and so much of the surrounding land as is reasonably necessary for use of the dwelling as a home, and includes rental property, mobile homes, single family dwellings, and units in multifamily, multidwelling or multipurpose buildings. If the assessor has established a specific legal description for a portion of property constituting the residence, then that portion of property shall be deemed “residence” for the purposes of this Act. “Residence” also includes that portion of a nursing or sheltered care home occupied as a dwelling by a claimant, determined as prescribed in regulations of the Department on Aging.