Habitat for Humanity South Carolina

05/13/2026

Policy win!

Today, the Heirs’ Property Tax Relief Act was passed by the South Carolina General Assembly and sent to the Governor for signature. Heirs’ property transferred among family members for the purpose of clearing title will be eligible of a one-time exemption that doesn’t trigger consideration as an Assessable Transfer of Interest, allowing owners to clear titles without risking (un)affordability of property taxes. We celebrate this policy change alongside our close ally, the Center for Heirs' Property.

Heirs’ property occurs when land or homes are passed down without a will, leaving multiple family members with shared ownership and the property in the name of someone who is deceased. If not addressed, it creates legal and financial complications that can be long-lasting. Among the challenges, owners often can’t access home repair programs, disaster assistance, or resources to build on their land. A common misconception is that heirs’ property is a coastal issue, when in fact, it exists in every county across our state.

Habitat for Humanity South Carolina and our affiliates are grateful to the champions of this bill, including Representative Rep. Kathy Landing, Representative Bill Herbkersman, Senator Tom Davis, Senator Thomas Alexander, Rep. Neal Collins, Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Senator Jeffrey Zell, and Senator Chip Campsen, among other dedicated sponsors.

Additionally, we tip our hats to the brilliance of partners who passionately advocated and eagerly collaborated to turn an idea into a solid bill. Among those, the Center for Heirs' Property, South Carolina Association of Counties, Heather Malia Rath, Lowcountry Gullah, and assessors, to name a few. Much appreciation to the SC Office of Resilience for their feedback regarding the impact of HP on disaster recovery. Advocacy is a team sport, and we are grateful for the village in South Carolina that extends far beyond those named here.

And to Phil Ford of the Ford and Ford Group, thank you for expertise and commitment to this endeavor.

02/27/2026

Looking forward to seeing fellow nonprofits and community partners at Together SC’s upcoming annual Summit (3/9-3/11 in Greenville)! Be sure to register for our disaster panel to learn how partnerships in blue skies lead to activation in gray skies. ⬇️

Building Back Together:Public/Private Partnerships

Join Ran Reinhard and Mary Louise Resch from the SC Office of Resilience, Erin Johnson from Central Carolina Community Foundation, and Nancy Lee from Habitat for Humanity South Carolina at the 2026 Nonprofit Summit in Greenville, SC March 9-11.

This session will focus on the importance of government, funding, and non-profit organization partnerships, focusing on lessons learned from Hurricane Helene response and recovery. The session will also focus on why building these relationships during 'blue sky' periods enhances the successes of community organizations during periods of disaster and the critical role played by non-profit organizations during these events.

01/10/2026

Moments of humanity are what our communities forward.

At the darkest of times, the simple act of coming together, rolling up our sleeves, and showing up for one another can change lives, both for those facing adversity and for the neighbors who remind them, “you’re not in this alone.”

To date, the Habitat for Humanity South Carolina network has repaired 47 homes following Hurricane Helene. With another 17 homes in progress and 39 under assessment, our teams are steadily working toward our (initial!) goal of helping 150 homeowners recover.

This work is only possible because of generous donors and committed partners. The American Red Cross has been by our side since day one, and we are grateful to work alongside them and our local affiliates, including Aiken County Habitat for Humanity.

Read more about this work and Ms. Linda's journey in the article below.

☎️Do you own your home and need help with Hurricane Helene repairs? Contact a Disaster Case Manager at the SC Office of Resilience at (803) 898-2511 to learn more.

Linda Oliphant lives in Edgefield, South Carolina, and never imagined she would face a major hurricane tearing through her town.