Scrivnr pledges to help Philadelphia property heirs resolve title issues

Scrivnr, a legal technology and financial services company, has launched an initiative aimed at helping Philadelphia residents in underserved communities resolve “tangled titles,” or unclear property ownership caused by missing legal documentation.

Tangled titles prevent property heirs from refinancing mortgages, making essential repairs or selling inherited homes. Scrivnr’s program — which deals with both forward and reverse mortgages — provides financial assistance and access to legal resources to help Philadelphia-based property heirs secure ownership, live in their homes, transfer them to future generations or sell them.

“The legal process to prove rightful heirship can be complex and costly, and disproportionately affects families in underserved communities,” said Byron Batres, founder and CEO of Scrivnr. “Scrivnr’s mission is to make legal services accessible so families can resolve title issues and fully claim what’s rightfully theirs.”

Scrivnr’s press release cited recent data from The Pew Charitable Trusts, which estimates that tangled title properties across Philadelphia are collectively worth more than $1.1 billion. The issue disproportionately affects low-income, high-poverty neighborhoods, particularly those with predominantly Black populations.

According to Pew, resolving a tangled title often requires an attorney and can cost about $9,200 for a home valued at $88,000. While Philadelphia operates a Tangled Title Fund to assist impacted residents, it limits eligibility to those who plan to stay in the home and earn no more than 80% of the area median income. The fund reimburses up to $5,000 in legal costs per case, although that is well below average attorneys fees.

The Pew study also identified about 13,000 tangled title properties in Philadelphia, with about 40% having heirs currently living in the homes, while many others are abandoned or in disrepair.

When heirs resolve titles and sell, they often earn between $40,000 and $60,000, depending on property size, condition and location.

In partnership with Seek Research, Scrivnr has started work to resolve 33 tangled titles representing more than $2.3 million in property values in Philadelphia. Seek Research specializes in restoring heirs’ properties to help families.

“The city of Philadelphia faces a 30,000-home housing shortage. We’re working with heirs to clear tangled titles, unlock more land for housing, recover back taxes for the city, and revitalize neighborhoods,” Kirk Parks, founder of Seek Research, said in a statement.

“Scrivnr’s support for these heirs — including up-front funding for legal fees and lower costs for document processing — will help us scale and advance this vital work. We look forward to our ongoing collaboration.”