S.C. Lookin' Out: Gullah Geechee Familes Get a Chance to Keep They Land!
Fo'real doe, this new law might stop the county from stealin' folks property wit' them crazy taxes.

Aight, listen up! South Carolina just passed some new law called the Heirs' Property Tax Relief Act. Word on the street is it's supposed to help folks keep they land, especially the Gullah Geechee fam down by the coast. See, way too many Black families been losin' they property cause of them high ass taxes and all that legal mumbo jumbo nobody understands.
Heirs' property, that's when land been passed down through generations but ain't nobody got a clear title. Grandmama died, then Daddy died, now it's like 20 cousins fightin' over who owns what. Meanwhile, the county sees all that confusion and jacks up the property taxes. Next thing you know, they puttin' yo' fam's land up for auction. Straight up robbery, fam.
This law supposed to stop the county from reassessin' the property value when folks try to clear the title or settle disputes. That means families can pass down the land without gettin' hit wit' them crazy tax increases. The Gullah Geechee, they been holdin' onto they culture and land for centuries, so this law could really help them keep what's rightfully theirs. Straight up, this is a win for the culture.
This whole thing came together cause of some local groups like the Lowcountry Gullah Foundation, the Center for Heirs’ Property, and Habitat for Humanity. Luana Graves Sellars, the founder of the Lowcountry Gullah Foundation, she brought together some lawyers and politicians to make this happen. Salute to the sista for reppin' the community! They been workin' to help families pay they taxes and get they wills in order. It's a struggle out here, for real.
Graves Sellars say the collab was key to gettin' this bill passed. Her org even helped the lawmakers come up with a list of stuff to fix back in 2022. She said the late Senator John L. Scott told her they could get it done. Now she's glad to see that families gettin' some relief from the financial burden.
Peep this: Anita Singleton-Prather’s family almost lost they land in Beaufort cause of unpaid taxes. But thanks to the Pan-African Family Empowerment and Land Preservation Network and some friends, they managed to hold on. She say Black folks ain't always good at writin' wills, which is true. Gotta get that paperwork straight so the next generation ain't gotta deal wit' all this mess.
This Heirs’ Property Tax Relief Act ain't gonna solve all the problems, but it's a start. It's a small victory for the community, but gotta keep the pressure on them politicians to do more. They still tryna gentrify and take over. Gotta protect what's ours, fam!


