[Report No. 119–793]
February 26, 2025
Ms. Williams of Georgia (for herself, Mrs. Fletcher, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Donalds, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Mfume, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services
September 1, 2026
Additional sponsors: Mr. Figures, Ms. McClellan, and Ms. Garcia of Texas
September 1, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 26, 2025
To establish a grant program for States that adopt the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Sec. 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Heirs Estate Inheritance Resolution and Succession Act of 2025
or the HEIRS Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Grants for eligible entities that adopt the uniform partition of heirs property act
(a) In general
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may establish a grant program that provides amounts to eligible entities that—
(1)
before the date of the enactment of this section, 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 2010 or a similar law that the Secretary determines is a substantial equivalent; or
(2)
on or after the date of the enactment of this section, 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 2010 or a similar law that the Secretary determines is a substantial equivalent.
(b) 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 estate, including fees and costs related to obtaining title reports and title abstracts, copies of public records, land surveys, estate planning, heirs search or tracing services, recording and filing fees, notary fees, and legal fees and expenses.
(c) Regulations and criteria for selection
The Secretary shall, not later than 1 year after establishing any grant program under this section, issue a rule to carry out this section that includes criteria for selecting eligible entities to receive amounts under this section.
(d) 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 sources, including Federal, State, local, private, public, and nonprofit sources.
(e) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Secretary
The term Secretary
means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
(2) Eligible entity
The term eligible entity
means—
(A)
a State, as such term is defined in section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974;
(B)
a unit of general local government, as such term is defined in section 102 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974;
(C)
a territory; and
(D)
a Tribal government.
(f) Sunset
Any program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this section.
Sec. 3. Grants to provide assistance relating to heirs’ property resolution
(a) 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 counseling, legal assistance, and financial assistance related to title clearing and home retention efforts for owners of heirs’ property.
(b) Awards
The Secretary shall consider the following when awarding grants under this section:
(1)
Whether the eligible entity has a proven track record of—
(A)
providing assistance to homeowners;
(B)
targeting services to underserved and low- and moderate-income persons; and
(C)
providing services in neighborhoods that have a high concentrations of underserved persons or low- and moderate-income persons.
(2)
Whether the eligible entity has planned or existing partnerships with other eligible entities.
(3)
Whether the eligible entity is located in an area with a high number of owners of heirs’ property, as determined by the Secretary.
(c) Definitions
For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) Eligible entity
The term eligible entity
means—
(A)
a HUD approved housing counseling agency;
(B)
a legal services clinic operated by an institute of higher education; or
(C)
a qualifying nonprofit.
(2) 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 common.
(3) 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 106(a)(2) of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968.
(4) Low- and moderate-income persons
(A) In general
The term low- and moderate-income persons
means a person whose household income does not exceed 120 percent of the median income for the area, as determined by the Secretary, within which—
(i)
the heirs’ property which respect to which the homeowner is seeking assistance is located; or
(ii)
the place of residence of the homeowner is located.
(B) Exception
If the area described in subparagraph (A) is a high-cost area, as determined by the Secretary, the term “low- and moderate-income persons” means a homeowner whose household income does not exceed 140 percent of the median income for the area.
(5) Qualifying nonprofit
The term qualifying nonprofit
means a nonprofit, mission-driven entity that, as determined by the Secretary—
(A)
has a track record of providing assistance to homeowners;
(B)
targets services to underserved and low- and moderate-income persons; or
(C)
provides services in neighborhoods that have high concentrations of underserved persons and low- and moderate-income persons.
(6) Secretary
The term Secretary
means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
(d) Sunset
Any program established under this section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this section.
Sec. 4. Heirs’ property housing counseling
Section 106(g) of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(6) Counseling with respect to heirs’ property
(A) In general
Any nonprofit organization that receives amounts under this section shall, when providing homeownership counseling services to consumers—
(i)
explain to such consumers what heirs’ property is, the risks associated with heirs’ property, and how to avoid heirs’ property issues; and
(ii)
inform such consumers of all available estate planning and title clearing options, assistance, and services, including those offered under sections 2 and 3 of the Heirs Estate Inheritance Resolution and Succession Act of 2025.
(B) Referral
The Secretary shall ensure that each nonprofit organization that receives amounts under this section knows how to refer consumers, where appropriate, 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 planning.
(C) Heirs’ property
The term
heirs’ propertymeans residential property for which title passed by operation of law through intestacy and is held by two or more heirs as tenants in common.