Gullah Geechee people offered chance to save family properties passed down through generations
Summary
South Carolina passed a law to help families keep land passed down through generations, especially protecting the Gullah Geechee community. The law stops counties from raising property taxes when family members fix ownership issues and transfer land titles.Key Facts
- The Heirs’ Property Tax Relief Act was signed into law by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster on May 15.
- The law stops property tax increases when heirs clear up or transfer property titles within families.
- Heirs’ properties are lands inherited by several family members not all listed on the property title.
- The Gullah Geechee people, descendants of formerly enslaved West Africans, are vulnerable to losing their land due to tax and ownership problems.
- The law was created through a partnership among the Lowcountry Gullah Foundation, the Center for Heirs’ Property, and Habitat for Humanity.
- The Lowcountry Gullah Foundation has helped families pay off property taxes and taught about writing wills to protect their land.
- Property disputes can cause families to lose land, especially if one member sells without others’ agreement.
- The law aims to protect families from losing ancestral land and reduce financial burdens tied to heirs’ property.
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