Karen Bryant

When Karen Bryant came to Legal Aid DC she was at risk of losing the home where she and her disabled sister reside. Unbeknownst to her, the home that she inherited when her mother passed away had been auctioned off in a tax foreclosure sale. Although the mortgage was paid off decades ago and Ms. Bryant continued to pay her property taxes year after year, D.C.’s Office of Tax Revenue had assessed back taxes and penalties, determining that the home was not entitled to receive the homestead deduction after Ms. Bryant’s mother (the then-record owner) passed away—even though Ms. Bryant was the legal heir to the home and had been living there continuously. Miller & Chevalier’s Andrew Howlett and George Hani (not pictured) helped Ms. Bryant stave off foreclosure—she is now the recorded owner of the home receiving the benefit of the homestead deduction.