Ameris Bank, a member of Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta), is distributing more than $1,142,000 in grants among three organizations to support work that addresses challenges of heirs’ property:

• $450,000 to Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Jacksonville (Florida)

• $442,404 to Legal Services of North Florida

• $250,000 to Invest Atlanta (Georgia)

The grants are made available from FHLBank Atlanta’s 2024 Heirs’ Property Family Wealth Protection Fund. FHLBank Atlanta is awarding a total of $5.9 million through member banks in its district to 21 organizations actively addressing heirs’ property issues. The work by LISC Jacksonville, Legal Services of North Florida and Invest Atlanta will help families avoid involuntary loss of property, resolve tangled title issues, and promote long-term stability through clear and secure homeownership.

“Our Fund is addressing a significant homeownership problem. Heirs’ property issues occur when land or homes are inherited by an owner’s descendants without a will, estate plan, or court document and/or without a clear title and deed to the property,” said Kirk Malmberg, president and CEO of FHLBank Atlanta. “Without proper paperwork, a property’s condition and value are much harder to maintain, and families may be excluded from accessing home equity loans, tax rebates, homestead exemptions, and disaster recovery assistance.”

Ameris Bank Director of Community Lending Clyde Anderson said, “We are pleased that our applications for these three organizations were selected to participate in this worthwhile program. The grants will help families hold on to what they’ve earned and pass it on to the next generation. Clear and stable property ownership is essential to long-term economic mobility and generational wealth.”

A 2024 Harris Poll by FHLBank Atlanta found that most homeowners (90%) expect the equity in their home to benefit their heirs, yet more than 4 in 10 (43%) do not have a will/trust or estate plan. Further, the survey showed that about 1 in 5 homeowners did not have, or were not sure they have, a clear title (22%) or recorded deed (20%). These factors can exacerbate problems of passing on home equity to build generational wealth among families.