[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1640 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 693
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1640
[Report No. 119-793]
To establish a grant program for States that adopt the Uniform
Partition of Heirs Property Act, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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' 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.''.
Union Calendar No. 693
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1640
[Report No. 119-793]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a grant program for States that adopt the Uniform
Partition of Heirs Property Act, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
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