The LSU Law Successions and Title-Clearing Clinic has helped develop a smartphone app to aid homeowners affected by the August 2016 flood and who are in need of legal assistance to prove they are the lawful owners of inherited property.
The Flood Proof: Louisiana Legal Help app guides users step-by-step as they gather key information and documents to prove their property title ownership. After users enter their information and take photos of legal documents, the app connects them to a free lawyer who will work with them to file the paperwork with the government to clear their title — and get official proof that they own their property.
A recurring challenge that communities face in the wake of natural disasters is that many homeowners — particularly low income homeowners — do not possess clear title to their homes. Although they may own the homes from a legal standpoint, public records do not list them as owners, as oftentimes homes are passed down through generations without a formal succession/probate proceeding ever being opened.
The historic flooding in fall 2016 highlighted this problem as homeowners are unable to receive money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) without a proper home title.
LSU Law opened its Successions and Title-Clearing Clinic in January 2017 in response to these legal struggles. The Clinic is working with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Southern University Law Center, Baton Rouge Bar Association and other legal organizations in Baton Rouge and around the state.
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The Flood Proof: Louisiana Legal Help app was made with the support of the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, the American Bar Association’s Center for Innovation, Stanford University Law School and LSU Law. It is intended for low-income families who were victims of the 2016 flood.
The app is not a substitute for professional legal advice. using the app does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice.
Flood Proof: Louisiana Legal Help is available through iTunes and the Google Play store.
For more information on receiving free legal help for homeowners with title problems, visit floodproofla.org.
