Gentrification, Wealth Transfer, and Abuses in Conservatorship and Guardianship Systems

This half-day workshop engages the subject of conservatorship and guardianship systems—the legal mechanisms that allow an elder or adult with disabilities to be placed under someone else's decision-making authority and legal custody. For decades, conservatorships in California have been a subject of controversy, as professional conservators have developed an industry focused on draining the assets of elders and persons with disabilities. In urban areas of California undergoing gentrification, conservatorship systems have been used to seize and sell the homes of elderly people of color, removing their assets both from their own control, and from their families and communities of origin. This event provides an overview of the social, financial, and legal implications of contemporary conservatorship and guardianship systems, and explores opportunities for critical intervention.