Nketiah Berko

The Project

Nketiah (he/him/his) will provide legal representation and advocacy on behalf of Black residents in the D.C. metropolitan area at risk of losing family homes due to unclear or encumbered titles.

Black Americans disproportionately do not have a will or access to probate planning—which often leads to unclear or tangled property titles. So-called “heirs’ properties” are more vulnerable to deed scams, equity theft, and higher property tax bills. Tax and Medicaid liens similarly encumber estates, extracting equity and inhibiting intergenerational wealth transfers in low-income families. Black homeowners need legal resources to aid in the transfer of home and home equity across generations, as well as policy advocacy to challenge the various debts disproportionately saddled onto Black homes.

As a child of immigrants, Nketiah is committed to protecting Black families from physical displacement and promoting their economic advancement.

Fellowship Plans

During his Fellowship, Nketiah will provide direct legal services to help heirs access loan modifications, pursue probate or a probate alternative, and address Medicaid and tax liens that put the family home at risk. He will also create informational guides to outline how families, both before or after a death, can smoothly pass down their homes. Finally, Nketiah will author a report detailing and making policy recommendations to remedy systemic property lien issues and racially disparate access to estate planning resources.

Media