(PHILADELPHIA) December 2, 2021 – Today, legislation to help prevent tangled titles, introduced by Councilmember Gilmore Richardson, passed Philadelphia City Council. According to recent research from The Pew Charitable Trusts, Philadelphia has at least 10,407 tangled titles, and half of these titles became tangled within the last decade. The vast majority of these tangled titles result from heirs not acting after the record owner of a property dies. The Tangled Title Disclosure Bill requires all funeral service providers to give their clients a tangled title information sheet, which will provide information about legal assistance, probating estates and how to avoid tangled titles. The Department of Records will lead the creation of the information sheet with support from the Register of Wills.
“Philadelphians have called out for equity and inclusion and expanding generational wealth through property ownership is crucial to achieving racial and economic equity,” said Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson (At-Large). “With the passage of this bill, we are reaching residents at one of the most important moments to help avoid a tangled title. I have personally experienced the lengthy, frustrating, and expensive process to untangle a title, and it is my goal to help as many families as possible avoid getting caught up in this process. I want to thank my colleagues in Philadelphia City Council for their support of the legislation today, as well as the Register of Wills, the Commissioner of Records, legal services agencies, funeral service providers, and everyone who helped us create and pass this important legislation.”
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