Dorchester County family fighting to protect Heirs property

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A family in Dorchester County hopes they will not lose a piece of property that has been in the family for decades.

The property, located off a dirt road along Highway 61 in the Givhans community, was set to change hands on Thursday afternoon.

Kendrick Bannier’s relative Glenn Eugene bought the two acres of land back in 1966.

“Almost 85% of Heirs proper land belong to Black people,” said Bannister, who is trying to save his family’s land. “My great grandfather. He bought the piece of land in 1966. $95. So just imagine in 1966 what it took for a black man back then to even have $95.”

His great-grandfather died in 1972; however, there was never a probate done on the property – the deed is still in his name today. Family members have paid the tax bill each year but failed to do so later year and it ended up going to tax sale last November.

The property can still be redeemed if the taxes and fees are paid within 12 months and one day of the tax sale. Bannister said when he learned the property was sold at tax sale, he went to pay the back taxes and fees – but Dorchester County told him they couldn’t do it.

“The person that’s on the deed has to come and pay for it. Well, my great-grandfather cannot come and pay for this land,” he said.

Thursday at 5 p.m. was the deadline to pay for the redemption of the property.

Dorchester County Administrator Jason Ward told News 2 there was a distinction between a taxpayer paying their taxes owed and the redemption process after a tax sale. State law required only someone on the deed, a grantee, or the mortgage company to pay the back taxes and fees to redeem the property.

Ward said this is a problem several families have had to deal with in the past.

The county delinquent tax collector sent us a statement that says, “We advised both parties probate would have to be opened with the Probate Court and a personal representative would have to be appointed to redeem property from the tax sale.”

Bannister said he would take paperwork from his lawyer to the probate court.  Some good news before the deadline – he said his family was able to redeem the property from the sale; however, he was still concerned that other families may not be able to jump through the hoops he was able to and that they may lose their property after the deadline.