We want to invite you to join us for our 20th Anniversary Gala, which will be held on June 20, 2025, at The Gaillard Center in Charleston, SC. This occasion marks a significant milestone as we celebrate 20 years of empowering underserved landowners. We honor our enduring commitment to securing their inherited rights to family land by providing unwavering support and resources such as legal and forestry education and services. Our efforts focus on protecting, preserving, and sustaining these lands, ensuring they continue to thrive and build generational wealth through productive working landscapes.
Heirs’ Property: A Critical Barrier to Housing and Land Ownership
Heirs’ property exists across the country and represents one of the most significant yet often overlooked barriers to housing and land ownership, particularly in African American communities. In the Lowcountry of South Carolina, most heirs' property (HP) is believed to be rural land acquired by African Americans following emancipation who were routinely denied access to the legal system and education. As a result, heirs’ property is owned "in common" by all descendants, regardless of their connection to the land, whether they live on it, pay taxes, or have ever visited it.
A Persistent Barrier to Stability and Wealth
This unique form of ownership often leads to disputes, making heirs’ property vulnerable to forced sales and tax foreclosures. It has been a critical barrier to housing stability, community preservation, and wealth-building. In the Lowcountry, rampant coastal and inland development has intensified these pressures. Many historically underserved landowners (HULOs) with dormant or underutilized land adjacent to major developments risk losing their property due to unresolved title issues or escalating property taxes.
CHPP™: A Lifeline for Heirs’ Property Landowners
2002
CHPP™ began as a project of the Coastal Community Foundation in 2002 to assist historically disadvantaged heirs’ property landowners in obtaining clear titles and preserving family land. CHPP™ empowers families to address heirs’ property issues and helps them convert their land into sustainable, wealth-generating assets.
2005
Recognizing this urgent need, the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation® (CHPP™) was established in 2005 as an independent nonprofit.
2013
In 2013, CHPP™ launched the African American Land Retention and Sustainable Forestry pilot project (SFP), funded by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, USDA Forest Service, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The project’s success led to the expansion of CHPP’s Sustainable Forestry Program (SF), offering families practical solutions to land retention while promoting economic benefits.
2025
Over the past two decades, CHPP™ has evolved to become a vital resource for those navigating the complexities of heirs' property. By providing comprehensive legal assistance and community outreach, CHPP™ has empowered countless individuals to secure their rightful ownership and preserve their family's legacy.
Expanding the Model Nationally
In response to increasing demand, CHPP™ developed a strategic plan to collaborate by sharing its proven South Carolina model across other states. It has successfully collaborated with the Mississippi Center for Justice to replicate this approach and is extending its efforts to Appalachia and the Black Belt regions, focusing on states like Alabama, Arkansas, East Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and West Virginia.
By addressing the historical and systemic issues tied to heirs’ property, CHPP™ is helping to dismantle one of the critical barriers to housing security, economic mobility, and family land preservation in underserved communities.
Sponsorships
By sponsoring CHPP’s 20th Anniversary Gala, you will be able to demonstrate a commitment to education and economic community development. We offer several sponsorship levels, each with corresponding recognition opportunities, detailed below.
Educational Initiatives
Your support will help us continue offering valuable workshops and seminars that help equip landowners with the critical skills and knowledge needed to manage and prosper from their properties.
Allows CHPP to provide knowledge about heirs’ property to landowners throughout South Carolina and East Texas (including additional states of our replication work).
