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NYU Law Environmental Law Journal Article: Fractured and Forgotten: Challenging Exclusionary Titling and Co-Ownership Requirements That Displace “Heirs Property” Disaster Survivors

March 30, 2026

Volume 34, Issue 1 (2026) In the aftermath of a natural disaster, disaster survivors rely heavily on local and federal relief to rebuild their devastated homes. For households without formal legal title to their home, however, such relief is slower to arrive, leading to displaced families and damaged communities. Due to generations of frustrated access…

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Memo to Senate on FEMA Priorities for new DHS Leadership

March 16, 2026

President Trump announced that he will be nominating Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace Secretary Noem as head of DHS. Congress should demand the following sorely needed reforms are enacted – including undoing internal processes that delayed or prevented assistance from reaching disaster survivors over the last year and a half – before considering…

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Written Testimony on House Bill 1148 –Property Taxes – Tax Sales, Heirs Protection Program and Tax Credits

March 3, 2026

This testimony supports HB 1148, which would provide heirs who inherit property much-needed assistance including assistance in avoiding tax sale. Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) testifies in strong support of this bill.

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Local Solutions to Protect Heirs Property Owners from Property Tax Foreclosure

February 6, 2026

Heirs property owners are at an elevated risk of losing their home to property tax foreclosure. These owners of inherited homes are disproportionately likely to be older adults living and people of color. Targeted policy solutions can make a significant difference in reducing the rate of property tax foreclosure on heirs property, preventing housing instability…

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What States Can Do To Protect Heirs From Disaster Displacement

September 30, 2025

Disasters can create devastating housing and financial insecurity for working families. Owners of inherited family homes have a greater need and reduced access to vital disaster assistance funds. Inherited homes are more likely to be older and in physically inadequate conditions, increasing the likelihood that they will suffer damage in a disaster. Nearly one-third of…

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Comment to FEMA Review Council on Heirs Property and Extreme Heat

May 15, 2025

While we identify several ways in which FEMA services could be improved, we urge the Council to retain FEMA’s role and to work to increase its efficiency; moving to a state block-grant model will only further undermine efficient disaster response and recovery at a time when natural disasters are increasing. FEMA remains a lifeline to…

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Letter to HUD on CDBG-DR and Heirs Property/Alternative Title Documentation

October 21, 2024

Absent a federal requirement, far too many states and local governments will continue to promulgate ownership requirements that exclude heirs property owners and other survivors without conventional documentation of title.

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Texas Comment Letter to FEMA on Equity Interim Final Rule

July 22, 2024

This comment provides input a wide range of FEMA policies that could increase equitable access to disaster relief for the hardest hit disaster survivors, including the need to improve procedures for heirs property owners and others with non-traditional homeownership.

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Homeowners at Risk: Nationwide Survey Reveals Critical Gaps the CFPB Must Address to Prevent Foreclosures

February 21, 2024

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is currently working on a proposed regulation to update its mortgage servicing rule to permanently allow for streamlined loss mitigation reviews. The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) conducted a nationwide survey in January 2024 to shed light on certain ongoing challenges that create an elevated risk of foreclosure. More…

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Keeping it in the Family: Legal Strategies to Address the Challenge of Heirs Property and Prevent Home Loss

January 29, 2024

This report highlights and evaluates the efficacy of various laws and policies aimed at helping owners of heirs property, a significant driver of land loss in communities of color.

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Big But Brief: Challenges to Sustainable Homeownership Among Older Black Adults

October 11, 2023

This video, part of Columbia Aging Center's Age Boom Academy 2023, looks at challenges to sustaining homeownership, issues concerning heirs' property, property tax foreclosures, and predatory investors and speculation in Black communities.

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Heirs Should Not Be Subject to Florida's Homestead Tax Exemption Penalty

August 22, 2023

Homeowners who fall behind on their property taxes risk the swift loss of their homes through tax foreclosures if they cannot pay off the back taxes owed, plus any interest, fees, costs and penalties thathave accrued. The accumulated amounts needed to resolve the tax debt can be overwhelming and resultultimately in the loss of their…

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