More Philadelphians are keeping their family homes thanks to increased support for untangling titles and estate planning
July 31, 2023
SeniorLAW Center was featured in an article published in today’s edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled “More Philadelphians are keeping their family homes thanks to increased support for untangling titles and estate planning.”
With more than 10,000 homes in Philadelphia with a tangled title or “unclear ownership,” SeniorLAW Center and our legal aid partners have committed to dedicated more resources to combat tangled titles. We do this through our Homeownership Rights program, which helps to prevent foreclosures and works on untangling titles, and our personal and estate planning clinics for Philadelphians aged 60+. Homes with “unclear ownership” block residents from obtaining homeownership assistance programs, makes them susceptible to scams, or sell or otherwise transfer the ownership of their home. Estate and personal planning helps to prevent tangled titles in the first place, as it ensures that the deed goes through the proper channels to be inherited through the family line.
“Tangled titles are one of the biggest issues older Philadelphians face,” says Leah Finlayson, SeniorLAW Center’s Legal Director. SeniorLAW Center has been able to hire more staff and help more people with these issues, but “if I had a lot more staff, we could certainly handle more cases.”