,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #afdj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #bf1 #bjbe,ms4 ,williams of ,georgia 7for herself1 ,mrs4 ,fletcher1 ,mr4 ,cleaver1 ,mr4 ,donalds1 ,mr4 ,bishop1 ,mr4 ,mfume1 ,ms4 ,norton1 and ,ms4 ,tlaib7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services ,a ,,bill ,to establish a grant program for ,states that adopt the ,uniform ,partition of ,heirs ,property ,act1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,heirs ,estate ,inheritance ,resolution and ,succession ,act of #bjbe or the ,,heirs ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,grants for eligible entities that adopt the ,uniform ,partition of ,heirs ,property ,act 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development shall1 not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this section1 establish a grant program that provides amounts to eligible entities that-- 7#a7 before the date of the enactment of this section1 had enacted or adopted the ,uniform ,partition of ,heirs ,property ,act as approved and recommended for enactment in all the ,states by the ,national ,conference of ,commissioners on ,uniform ,state ,laws in #bjaj or a similar law that the ,secretary determines is a substantial equivalent2 and 7#b7 on or after the date of the enactment of this section1 enact or adopt the ,uniform ,partition of ,heirs ,property ,act as approved and recommended for enactment in all the ,states by the ,national ,conference of ,commissioners on ,uniform ,state ,laws in #bjaj or a similar law that the ,secretary determines is a substantial equivalent4 7b7 ,use of amounts 7#a7 ,in general ,each eligible entity that receives amounts under this section shall use such amounts to assist residents of such eligible entity with bona fide expenses relating to establishing and documenting property ownership rights or settling a decedent's estate1 including fees and costs related to obtaining title reports and title abstracts1 copies of public records1 land surveys1 estate planning1 heirs search or tracing services1 recording and filing fees1 notary fees1 and legal fees and expenses4 7#b7 ,layering of assistance ,an eligible entity that receives amounts under this section may use such amounts to assist residents of such ,state who are receiving assistance from other sources1 including ,federal1 ,state1 local1 private1 public1 and nonprofit sources4 7c7 ,regulations and criteria for selection ,the ,secretary shall1 not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this section1 issue a rule to carry out this section1 that includes criteria for the selection of recipients4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development #cj1jjj1jjj each of year fiscal years #bjbf through #bjcf to carry out this section4 7#b7 ,availability ,any amounts appropriated under this subsection shall remain available until expended4 7e7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 7#b7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means a ,state and a unit of general local government as such terms are defined in section #ajb of title #a of the ,housing and ,community ,development ,act of #aigd 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjb7 a territory1 or a ,tribal government4 #c4 ,grants to provide assistance relating to heirs' property resolution 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development shall carry out a program under this section to provide grants each year to eligible entities to use to provide housing counseling1 legal assistance1 and financial assistance related to title clearing and home retention efforts for owners of heirs' property4 7b7 ,awards ,the ,secretary shall consider the following when awarding grants under this section3 7#a7 ,whether the eligible entity has a proven track record of-- 7,a7 providing assistance to homeowners2 7,b7 targeting services to minority and low- and moderate-income persons2 and 7,c7 providing services in neighborhoods that have a high concentrations of minority persons or low- and moderate-income persons4 7#b7 ,whether the eligible entity has planned or existing partnerships with other eligible entities4 7#c7 ,whether the eligible entity is located in an area with a high number of owners of heirs' property1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary1 for grants under this section1 #aj1jjj1jjj in each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjcj4 7d7 ,definitions ,for purposes of this section1 the following definitions shall apply3 7#a7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a ,,hud approved housing counseling agency2 7,b7 a legal services clinics operated by an institute of higher education2 or 7,c7 a qualifiying nonprofit4 7#b7 ,heirs' property ,the term heirs' property means residential property for which title passed by operation of law through intestacy and is held by two or more heirs as tenants in common4 7#c7 ,hud approved housing counseling agency ,the term ,,hud approved housing counseling agency means a housing counseling agency found eligible to receive assistance by the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development under section #ajf7;a77#b7 of the ,housing and ,urban ,development ,act of #aifh4 7#d7 ,low- and moderate-income persons 7,a7 ,in general ,the term low- and moderate-income persons means a person whose household income does not exceed #abj percent of the median income for the area1 as determined by the ,secretary1 within which-- 7i7 the heirs' property which respect to which the homeowner is seeking assistance is located2 or 7ii7 the place of residence of the homeowner is located4 7,b7 ,exception ,if the area described in subparagraph 7,a7 is a high-cost area1 as determined by the ,secretary1 the term low- and moderate-income persons means a homeowner whose household income does not exceed #adj percent of the median income for the area4 7#e7 ,qualifying nonprofit ,the term qualifying nonprofit means a nonprofit1 mission-driven entity that1 as determined by the ,secretary-- 7,a7 has a track record of providing assistance to homeowners2 7,b7 targets services to minority and low- and moderate-income persons2 or 7,c7 provides services in neighborhoods that have high concentrations of minority persons and low- and moderate-income persons4 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 #d4 ,heirs' property housing counseling ,section #ajf7;g7 of the ,housing and ,urban ,development ,act of #aifh 7#ab ,u4,s4,c4 #agjax7g77 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#f7 ,counseling with respect to heirs' property 7,a7 ,in general ,any nonprofit organization that receives amounts under this section shall1 when providing homeownership counseling services to consumers-- 7i7 explain to such consumer what heirs' property is1 the risks associated with heirs' property1 and how to avoid heirs' property issues2 and 7ii7 inform consumers of all available estate planning and title clearing options1 assistance1 and services1 including those offered under sections #b and #c of the ,heirs ,estate ,inheritance ,resolution and ,succession ,act of #bjbe4 7,b7 ,referral ,the ,secretary shall ensure that each nonprofit organization that receives amounts under this section knows how to refer consumers1 where appropriate1 to mission-driven nonprofit organizations and legal services clinics operated by institutes of higher education that are capable of assisting a consumer to clear title and with general estate planning4 7,c7 ,heirs' property ,the term heirs' property means residential property for which title passed by operation of law through intestacy and is held by two or more heirs as tenants in common4 4