6. Every fact essential to support a claim for a veteran’s deduction hereunder shall exist on October 1 of the pretax year and in the case of an application by a veteran such application shall establish that the claimant was, on October 1 of the pretax year, (a) a veteran, as herein defined, (b) the owner of the legal title to the property as to which the veteran’s deduction is claimed and (c) a citizen and resident of this State and, in the case of an application by a surviving spouse, as herein defined, such application shall establish that the surviving spouse was, on October 1 of the pretax year, (a) the owner of the legal title to the property as to which the veteran’s deduction is claimed, (b) that he or she has not remarried and (c) that he or she is a resident of this State. For purposes of establishing a claim, a tenant shareholder in a cooperative or a mutual housing corporation shall be deemed the owner of legal title to his proportionate share of the taxable value of the real property of the corporation or any other entity holding title. For the purpose of establishing a claim, a resident of a continuing care retirement community shall be deemed the owner of legal title to the share of the taxable value of the real property of the continuing care retirement community that is attributable to the unit that the resident occupies.

L.1963, c.171, s.6; amended 1985, c.515, s.10; 1989, c.252, s.6; 2019, c.203, s.3.