Lowcountry Gullah Foundation asks bidders to respect heirs property at Beaufort County tax sale

Luana Graves Sellers, founder of the Lowcountry Gullah Foundation, addressed attendees at the Beaufort County delinquent tax auction and asked bidders to avoid bidding against families on heirs property. "I am asking on behalf of the families that are here that you respect our culture," Sellers said, explaining that heirs properties in the Lowcountry may have been in families for 150 years or more.

Sellers described heirs property as land that has been passed down through generations and noted that some parcels on the auction list were identified as heirs property. She offered on‑site help to anyone with questions and noted that a representative from the Penn Center (named in the transcript as Mitch Mitchell Lehi) was also present to assist bidders or heirs who needed support during the sale.

The treasurer’s office and auctioneer proceeded with the sale after Sellers’ remarks. The auctioneer announced that heirs properties would be flagged during the sale and invited any heirs in the room to identify themselves before the related items were sold. The transcript records at least one heirs property sold that day; the auctioneer said the first such property sold for $3,300 and invited heirs to stand and announce themselves.

Why it matters: heirs property is a common ownership pattern in the Lowcountry and can create legal and practical challenges — including complications for families seeking to retain land, and vulnerability to loss at tax sales if owners fail to pay taxes and are unaware of proceedings. Sellers framed her remarks as a cultural appeal and offered assistance rather than a legal or policy remedy.

What was not decided: no policy change or binding county action was recorded in this transcript; the auction proceeded under existing county procedures. Sellers’ request is a community plea recorded in the public forum, and the transcript does not record a county response that would alter sale procedures.