,,ib ,union ,calendar ,no4 #fic #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #afdj ,report ,no4 #aai-gic ,,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 ,september #a1 #bjbf;,additional sponsors3 ,mr4 ,figures1 ,ms4 ,mc,clellan1 and ,ms4 ,garcia of ,texas ,september #a1 #bjbf,reported with an amendment1 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be printed,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic,for text of introduced bill1 see copy of bill as introduced on ,february #bf1 #bjbe ,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 may 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 or 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 ,each eligible entity that receives amounts under this section shall use such amounts to assist residents residing in the jurisdiction 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 7c7 ,regulations and criteria for selection ,the ,secretary shall1 not later than #a year after establishing any grant program under this section1 issue a rule to carry out this section that includes criteria for selecting eligible entities to receive amounts under this section4 7d7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit an eligible entity that receives amounts under this section from using such amounts to assist residents residing in the jurisdiction of such eligible entity who are receiving assistance from other sources1 including ,federal1 ,state1 local1 private1 public1 and nonprofit sources4 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-- 7,a7 a ,state1 as such term is defined in section #ajb of the ,housing and ,community ,development ,act of #aigd2 7,b7 a unit of general local government1 as such term is defined in section #ajb of the ,housing and ,community ,development ,act of #aigd2 7,c7 a territory2 and 7,d7 a ,tribal government4 7f7 ,sunset ,any program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is #g years after the date of enactment of this section4 #c4 ,grants to provide assistance relating to heirs' property resolution 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development may 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 underserved and low- and moderate-income persons2 and 7,c7 providing services in neighborhoods that have a high concentrations of underserved 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 ,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 clinic operated by an institute of higher education2 or 7,c7 a qualifying 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 8low- and moderate-income persons0 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 underserved and low- and moderate-income persons2 or 7,c7 provides services in neighborhoods that have high concentrations of underserved persons and low- and moderate-income persons4 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 7d7 ,sunset ,any program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is #g years after the date of enactment of this section4 #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 following3 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 consumers what heirs' property is1 the risks associated with heirs' property1 and how to avoid heirs' property issues2 and 7ii7 inform such 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 ,september #a1 #bjbf,reported with an amendment1 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be printed