More than $9.6M in funding will support free legal assistance, appraisal reform and estate planning services in underserved communities
ATLANTA, June 18, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–JPMorgan Chase is expanding its commitment to tackle heirs property challenges across the country through a combined expansion of philanthropic capital, business investments and policy recommendations. At a convening in Atlanta with leading policy experts and community partners in the housing space, the firm announced more than $9.6M in philanthropic commitments to eight organizations across the United States working to preserve homeownership opportunities in Georgia, New York, Jacksonville, FL, Pittsburgh, PA and Washington, D.C. This effort is part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to preserve generational wealth building opportunities through homeownership for underserved communities nationwide.
The grantees, a combination of community-based organizations, legal service providers and universities, as well as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), will focus on tackling heirs property and appraisal bias issues. Both are major contributors to the loss of wealth in underserved communities and disproportionately impact Black, Latino, Hispanic, low-income and low-wealth families in both rural and urban communities.
In addition to philanthropic capital, Chase Home Lending continues to deliver progress on bringing more diversity to the field of residential property appraisers. The firm committed $3M to the Appraisal Diversity Initiative, a nationwide effort to attract diverse new entrants into the residential appraisal field through education, training and resource support. Since the program’s inception, Chase has supported more than 700 scholarships with 66 scholars now working as appraisers across the country. In Atlanta, 18 scholars are in the program and six graduates are currently working as appraisers.
The Economic Consequences of Heirs Property and Appraisal Bias
Heirs property, also known as a “tangled title,” occurs when a homeowner dies without a will and their property is informally inherited by multiple descendants, regardless of whether they live on the property or have paid taxes. According to national estimates, the total assessed value of properties impacted by heirs issues is estimated to be over $32 billion across 44 states and Washington, D.C. In Georgia, over $400 million in assessed property values are impacted due to heirs issues.
Left unaddressed, heirs property creates unstable homeownership, making it difficult for residents to pass on property to the next generation, access disaster assistance programs that help pay for home repairs or property tax relief. The situation leaves people vulnerable to a range of potential repercussions, including foreclosure, tax sales and being the target of investors attempting to buy a home below market value.
“Safe, affordable homeownership opportunities are foundational for creating thriving and healthy communities,” said Abigail Suarez, Head of Neighborhood Development, Corporate Responsibility, JPMorgan Chase. “We need to be intentional about scaling solutions that address heirs’ property issues and empowering people to maintain homeownership from one generation to the next. Today’s commitments are part of the firm’s holistic approach to mobilizing resources and expertise to address this issue in Atlanta and communities across the country.”
“We’re proud to see progress with our appraisal reform efforts, recognizing this is just the beginning of effecting change within the industry,” said Sean Grzebin, Head of Consumer Originations and Transformation, Chase Home Lending. “We’re also committed to helping more homebuyers, in Atlanta and across the country, to avoid the negative consequences of heirs property and preserve their generational wealth by identifying innovative business solutions.”
An Expanded Philanthropic Approach
JPMorgan Chase has committed over $9.6 million in philanthropic capital to the following organizations to tackle heirs property challenges and appraisal bias through research, legal services and estate planning clinics and market-based innovations. Grantees include:
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Initiative on Land, Housing, & Property Rights at Boston College ($2M): The Initiative at Boston College, founded and led by national heirs property expert Professor Thomas W. Mitchell, will produce research and policy recommendations to preserve and expand property rights for underserved communities. The Initiative will also engage in community outreach and train law students, which will enhance national awareness about heirs property challenges and solutions.
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Alcorn State University Foundation ($300K): The SDFR Policy Center located at Alcorn State University will lead a team to conduct research and outline recommendations for the ethical use of public heirs property data in order to protect vulnerable heirs property owners from being exploited by those seeking to acquire properties at below market value.
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Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund ($150K): The Federation, a regional cooperative and rural economic development organization, will expand their legal assistance with rural landowners in seven Southeastern U.S. states—including Georgia—and uses these types of insights to bolster its research and educational efforts that support impacted individuals and communities.
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The Brookings Institution and Economic Architecture ($2.3M): Economic Architecture and the Brookings Institution have partnered to launch the second iteration of the Valuing Homes in Black Communities challenge, which will identify the most promising market- and policy-based structural innovations to address the devaluation of homes in Black neighborhoods.
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LISC Jacksonville ($500K): LISC Jacksonville, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), is expanding their Heirs Property and Family Wealth Creation programs, a comprehensive model that preserves homeownership and increases home equity by addressing heirs property through free estate planning assistance and legal services for local families.
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Howard University Legal Clinic ($500K): Howard University has established an estate planning and heirs property legal clinic that trains future attorneys and provides free legal services to Washington, D.C. and Maryland residents. Since launching in 2023, the clinic has supported over 75 clients and trained 20 students.
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Center for NYC Neighborhoods ($889K): The Center, a community-based non-profit organization, is working to build capacity to deliver free estate planning and raise awareness about its importance among Black homeowners in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
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Catapult Greater Pittsburgh ($3M): Catapult, a community-based nonprofit organization, is expanding their Clinic for Legal Equity and Repair (CLEAR), which supports people living in Allegheny County who do not have a legal title to the property in their name. CLEAR participants are eligible for home repairs, title clearance, and estate planning to ensure they can grow their wealth and transfer assets across generations. Catapult will also acquire and rehab vacant or abandoned properties in the community in an effort to stabilize neighborhoods.
Advancing Policy Solutions to Preserve Generational Wealth through Homeownership
JPMorgan Chase is also advancing homeownership and wealth preservation through data-driven policy solutions and research. Last year, the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter released two briefs outlining recommendations to prevent and resolve heirs property cases and solutions to advance affordable, sustainable homeownership. To build on these initial recommendations, the PolicyCenter released two new briefs spotlighting best practices and policy reform opportunities that reduce barriers to generational wealth building.
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The Supporting Heirs Property Owners Through National Disaster and Resiliency Programs brief explores policy interventions to protect heirs property owners before and after natural disasters. Many heirs property owners have been unable to access disaster assistance due to ownership requirements. As natural disasters increase in frequency and intensity – creating challenges for homeowners and communities nationwide – JPMorgan Chase supports federal, state and local policy interventions to help homeowners repair their homes, stabilize neighborhoods, and build community resilience.
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The Solutions to Build Household Wealth by Addressing the Undervaluation of Property brief features JPMorgan Chase’s leading role to reduce bias in home valuations. This includes business practices, philanthropic partnerships, and policy recommendations that focus on: modernizing appraisal processes, enhancing valuation methods, increasing training and diversity, addressing industry standards, and building consumer awareness.
Quotes from Our Partners
Public private partnerships are key to driving impact at scale. Below are quotes from a few partners JPMorgan Chase is working with:
Professor Thomas Mitchell, Director of the Initiative on Land, Housing & Property Rights at Boston College
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“The substantial grant JPMorgan Chase has made to help dramatically increase the research and policy development capacity of our Initiative on Land, Housing, & Property Rights will significantly increase our ability to make a greater impact on addressing a range of housing and property matters disadvantaged communities experience, including a number of vexing heirs’ property matters. We truly appreciate JPMorgan Chase’s support and hope this grant represents the cornerstone of a lasting partnership.”
Ruth Gao, Associate General Counsel, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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“Helping people stay in their homes by addressing heirs’ property issues is crucial for preserving intergenerational wealth—and, by extension, families’ health and wellbeing. Cross-sector collaboration is critical to continuing this work and effecting change, and we are proud to work with organizations like JPMorgan Chase to drive momentum to preserve homeownership across communities.”
Reggie O’Shields, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
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“The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta is pleased to partner with organizations like JPMorgan Chase to address the pervasive issue of heirs property. We will continue to support initiatives to resolve tangled titles, execute wills, and provide property financial literacy training, all of which contribute to generational wealth building and strengthen communities.”
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Contacts
Gabriela Alba
gabriela.alba@jpmchase.com
862-347-1709
