74-year-old Alicia* lives with her disabled minor grandchild in a home titled in the estate of Alicia’s deceased mother. Alicia has lived in the home for over 20 years, and her only income is Social Security. When she reported her mother’s death to the property appraiser, they removed the homestead exemption, causing a large increase in her property taxes. Alicia struggled with these expenses on her fixed income.
Through the “No Place Like Home” Project, a pro bono attorney helped Alicia complete a probate case for her mother’s estate. The court awarded her the title of the home, enabling her to reinstate the homestead exemption and reduce her property taxes. The attorney’s work also enables her to obtain disaster relief assistance in the event of a hurricane.
No Place Like Home is a pre-disaster prevention project designed to help low income people in Broward County protect their rights to their homes. Volunteer lawyers and real estate due-diligence partners work to ensure the protection of our local homeowners by securing clear title to their homes.
*Names and specific details have been changed to protect the identity of our client.
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We need lawyers to help:
- “Clear” or “quiet” the title to homes
- Help clients obtain proof of ownership
- Prove ownership when someone has died
- Fix other issues with titles to homes
To learn more on how to volunteer, call 954-736-2427 or go to browardlegalaid.org/probono.
The Project is conducted in partnership with the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar.