JPMorgan Chase announces national multimillion-dollar commitment for Black neighborhoods in Atlanta

 JPMorgan Chase’s Heather Higginbottom, mortgage banking head of consumer originations, said the strength of their business is inextricably linked to the vitality of the communities they serve. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice JPMorgan Chase announced a national multimillion-dollar commitment for Black neighborhoods in Atlanta during a press conference June 18. JPMorgan Chase is focusing on tackling heirs property challenges for homeowners across the country, including Georgia, through legal aid assistance, appraisal reform, and estate planning services. Heirs property& occurs when a homeowner dies without a will and several people gain rights to the land, regardless of whether they live on the property or have paid taxes.& Left unaddressed, heirs property creates unstable homeownership, making it difficult for residents to pass on property to the next generation and access disaster assistance programs that help pay for home repairs or property tax relief. Following the press conference, two panels were held where speakers discussed strategies to address appraisal bias and heirs property, which disproportionately affect low-to-moderate income communities and hinder generational wealth accumulation. The panelists emphasized the need for cross-sector collaboration, philanthropic investments, and policy engagement to combat these issues. Speakers also highlighted the historical and systemic factors leading to tangled...