Heirs’ Property and the Racial Wealth Gap Conference
Presented by The Initiative on Land, Housing & Property Rights at BC Law
Thursday, March 21, 2024 - Friday, March 22, 2024 | Boston College
Note: This is a hybrid event, registration required to attend in-person or virtually. See agenda section for session details. Guests may register for either or both dates.
Well over $32 billion in real property in the U.S. is estimated to be heirs’ property, a highly unstable form of ownership. Loss of heirs’ property and heirs’ properties that lack clear title increase the racial wealth gap. Learn about the problem—and existing and potential solutions.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
- Screening of award-winning feature-length documentary Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land (Al Roker Entertainment), followed by Q&A with director Eternal Polk, film participants, and Tharlyn Fox from John Deere
- Panels with senior staff from USDA, Fannie Mae, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
- Presentation from Dr. Dewayne Goldmon, Senior Advisor, Racial Equity, USDA
- Keynote address by Drinan Professor and MacArthur 'Genius Grant' recipient Thomas W. Mitchell, founder & director of BC Law's Initiative on Land, Housing & Property Rights
- Panels addressing many heirs’ property issues, including partition law abuse, property tax foreclosure, clear title/tangled title matters, and racial will-making gaps
- Panels with leading heirs' property academics, researchers, and practitioners
- Roundtable on media’s role in uplifting Black property & heirs’ property issues with award-winning reporters, documentary filmmakers & people featured in such media pieces
Conference Organizer
Thomas W. Mitchell a MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellow, holds the Robert F. Drinan, S.J. Endowed Chair at BC Law and is founder and director of the ILHPR. He was the principal drafter of model state legislation to reduce property loss among disadvantaged families that are disproportionately Black, which 23 states and jurisdictions have adopted at this time.
Co-sponsored by: The Institute for the Liberal Arts at Boston College
Schedule and Registration | |
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Thursday, March 21 | 300 Hammond Pond Parkway | |
12:00–1:00 PM | Check-in |
1:00–1:15 PM | Welcome |
1:15–2:15 PM | Graduate Student Heirs’ Property Research PanelPanelists:
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2:15-2:30 PM | Break |
2:30–4:00 PM | Roundtable: Media’s Role in Uplifting Black Property and Heirs’ Property IssuesPresenters:
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4:00-4:15 PM | Break |
4:15–4:45 PM | Presentation by Dr. Dewayne Goldmon, Senior Advisor for Racial Equity to the Secretary of Agriculture |
5:00-6:15 PM | Dinner |
6:30–8:00 PM | Screening Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black LandPlease note that due to contractual obligations, we are not able to stream the documentary itself to our virtual audience; it will be shown only to in-person attendees. |
8:00–8:30 PM | Gaining Ground Panel DiscussionPanelists:
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Friday, March 22, 2024 | 300 Hammond Pond Parkway | |
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8:00–8:45 AM | Check-in & breakfast |
8:45–9:00 AM | Welcome |
9:00-10:00 AM | Panel 1 - Quantifying Heirs’ Property: Methodologies and SignificancePanelists:
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10:05-11:05 AM | Panel 2: The Racial Will-Making Gap and Efforts to Close ItPanelists:
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11:15 AM-12:15 PM | Panel 3: The Role of Federal Institutions in Addressing Heirs’ Property MattersPanelists:
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12:30–1:30 PM | Lunch with Keynote Speech and Fireside ChatKeynote from Professor Thomas W. Mitchell, holder of the Robert S. Drinan S.J. Endowed Chair and Director of the Initiative on Land, Housing and Property Rights at Boston College Law School. Fireside chat with Dean Odette Lienau following keynote address. |
1:45–2:45 PM | Panel 4: Perspectives on Heirs’ Property Matters From Lawyers in the TrenchesPanelists:
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3:00–4:00 PM | Panel 5: Property Tax Foreclosures of Heirs’ Property HomesPanelists:
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4:15–5:15 PM | Panel 6: Heirs’ Property/Tangled Title Issues in the Urban ContextPanelist:
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5:15–5:30 PM | Closing Remarks |
5:30–6:30 PM | Reception |
Campus Map and Parking
Parking is available at the nearby Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue Garages.
Boston College is also accessible via public transportation (MBTA B Line - Boston College).
Boston College strongly encourages conference participants to receive the COVID-19 vaccination before attending events on campus.