Mode of Program Participation
Performances and Arts
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Addressing Heirs Property in Appalachia
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Heirs property is a term that refers to property that has been passed down from generation to generation, resulting in dozens or hundreds of owners. This fractionated ownership makes it difficult or impossible for the property to be managed in a way that allows the owners to profit, or the community to benefit from economic development. Two concerns have been noted with heirs property. The first, the vulnerability concern, refers to the risk that the heirs may be dispossessed of the property through a partition suit. The second ,the economic concern, refers to the fact that the owners cannot leverage their ownership into economic opportunity. Heirs property is highly correlated with poverty, and is most prevalent in Appalachia, African American communities and Native American communities. This paper explores heirs property and proposes programs to help resolve the issue in Appalachia.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Jesse J. RIchardson, Jr. is an Associate Professor at West Virginia University College of Law. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Virginia Tech and a J.D. from University of Virginia College of Law. Prior to coming to West Virginia University, Richardson was an Associate Professor at Virginia Tech and an attorney in his home town of Winchester, Virginia.
Addressing Heirs Property in Appalachia
Heirs property is a term that refers to property that has been passed down from generation to generation, resulting in dozens or hundreds of owners. This fractionated ownership makes it difficult or impossible for the property to be managed in a way that allows the owners to profit, or the community to benefit from economic development. Two concerns have been noted with heirs property. The first, the vulnerability concern, refers to the risk that the heirs may be dispossessed of the property through a partition suit. The second ,the economic concern, refers to the fact that the owners cannot leverage their ownership into economic opportunity. Heirs property is highly correlated with poverty, and is most prevalent in Appalachia, African American communities and Native American communities. This paper explores heirs property and proposes programs to help resolve the issue in Appalachia.
