Gullah Geechee people offered chance to save family properties passed down through generations
South Carolina has enacted the Heirs’ Property Tax Relief Act to assist families in retaining ancestral land. This legislation aims to prevent increased property taxes for heirs’ property owners, particularly benefiting the Gullah Geechee community. The act was developed through collaboration among advocacy groups focused on addressing heirs’ property issues.
- ▪The Heirs’ Property Tax Relief Act was signed into law on May 15, 2026.
- ▪The act prevents counties from reassessing property values when heirs clear their property titles.
- ▪Gullah Geechee people are particularly vulnerable to heirs’ property issues, which can lead to forced sales and family disputes.
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The Gullah Geechee people – descendants of formerly enslaved west Africans who retained their culture and customs – are especially vulnerable to heirs’ property issues. Photograph: Rita Harper/The GuardianView image in fullscreenThe Gullah Geechee people – descendants of formerly enslaved west Africans who retained their culture and customs – are especially vulnerable to heirs’ property issues. Photograph: Rita Harper/The GuardianCotton Capital: ongoing seriesUS newsGullah Geechee people offered chance to save family properties passed down through generationsA new South Carolina act will exempt some heirs’ property owners from increased property taxesMelissa HellmannFri 29 May 2026 07.00 EDTLast modified on Fri 29 May 2026 07.01 EDTShareIn a move that protects vulnerable people from…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at World news | The Guardian.
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