Please join the Gibson-Banks Center for Race and the Law on Nov. 11 for a screening of "Baltimore Heirs: The Last Deed Undone," a new documentary directed by Jewel Guy and produced by the Stop Oppressive Seizures Fund (SOS Fund). The film follows Baltimore families who have inherited homes and their efforts to keep them, preserving both family memories and the generational wealth that homeownership represents.
When a homeowner dies without a will, Maryland law determines who inherits the home. These relatives, such as a spouse or children, are known as heirs. The heirs become co-owners of the home, but many families do not know that a legal process is required to transfer ownership and record a new deed in the heirs’ names. Until that happens, the home is considered “heirs’ property” with a “tangled title.” Without clear ownership, heirs may find it difficult to manage or maintain the home. The home can also become vulnerable to tax sale foreclosure and loss.
National research shows that homeownership is the most significant source of wealth for Black families. It also shows that Black and other racially marginalized families disproportionately hold heirs’ property and experience home loss, which erodes wealth built over generations.
A panel discussion will immediately follow the film screening. The panel will feature Nneka N’namdi, co-founder and director of Vision and Innovation at the SOS Fund, and Megan Good, Esq., Law Office of Megan E. Good LLC. Albert Stancil, staff attorney with the Heirs Property Home Preservation Project at the Gibson-Banks Center, will moderate the discussion. The panelists will discuss how families have navigated the legal and social challenges of heirs’ property ownership. They will also discuss the Heirs Property Home Preservation Project, a collaborative effort that provides education, advocacy, and legal services to address tangled titles, tax sale foreclosure, and other issues, helping families keep their homes, particularly in Baltimore’s Black communities.
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Ceremonial Courtroom
6 p.m.: Reception (light refreshments will be served)
6:30 p.m.: Documentary screening
7:30 p.m.: Panel discussion
8 p.m.: Program concludes
This event is free and open to the public. Register: Baltimore Heirs: The Last Deed Undone Film Screening and Panel Discussion Tickets, Wednesday, Nov. 11 • 6 p.m.-8 p.m. | Eventbrite