Economic & Community Resources

There are numerous economic and community resources to help you manage issues pertaining to Heirs' Property, start or sustain a business, and determine what you can do with land you or your family own. Below is a list of organizations that serve as a starting place for those interested in exploring economic opportunities and property sustainability.

Economic & Business Resources

Town of Hilton Head Island

Assistance with new and existing business licenses

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce

Business promotion and networking opportunities

Native Island Business & Community Affairs Association (NIBCAA)

Small Business Development Center

  • Hilton Head Island
  • 843-255-7303
  • http://nibcaa.org

Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce

Business products, services, and educational programming for the African American community

  • Beaufort, SC
  • 843-986-1102
  • https://bcbcc.org

South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at USCB

Start a new business or grow an existing business

Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation

Support for entrepreneurs with growing businesses

Heirs Property Resources

Center for Heirs Property Preservation (CHPP)

Education and legal services to protect Heirs' Property and promote its sustainable use

  • Charleston, SC
  • 843-745-7055
  • info@heirsproperty.org
  • www.heirsproperty.org

Heirs Property Family Research Project

Genealogical research assistance to clear property titles

  • USCB - Hilton Head Island Campus
  • 843-686-6560
  • https://heritagelib.org

Beaufort County Treasurer's Office

Property tax information and resources

Lowcountry Gullah

Property tax assistance for families or individuals in need

  • Hilton Head Island
  • https://lowcountrygullah.com

Pan African Family Empowerment & Land Preservation Network (PAFEN)

Property tax assistance and taxpayer empowerment workshops

  • Hilton Head Island
  • https://panafricanfamilyempowermentnetwork.org

Penn Center

Land Preservation Assistance Program to assist with property tax payments

  • St. Helena Island, SC
  • 843-838-2432
  • www.penncenter.com

Black Family Land Trust, Inc

Conservation land trust dedicated to preserving and protecting African American land assets

  • Durham, NC
  • 919-683-5263
  • www.bflt.org

Heirs' Property Retention Coalition

Network of resources related to Heirs' Property retention

  • http://hprc.southerncoalition.org

South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS)

Legal services for low-income Heirs' Property owners

  • North Charleston, SC
  • 843-720-7044
  • https://sclegal.org

Land Use Resources

Codes and ordinances governing land use on Hilton Head Island can be complicated, but we are to help. If you need help finding a specific code or ordinance related to your project or guidance on applications and procedures to follow for developing property, please contact our Community Development Information Center at cdic@hiltonheadislandsc.gov or 843-341- 4757.

Town of Hilton Head Island Municipal Code

All Town regulations

Town of Hilton Head Island Land Management Ordinance

Town land use and development standards

Center for Heirs Property Preservation (CHPP)

Forestry Education and Services

  • Charleston, SC
  • 843-745-7055
  • info@heirsproperty.org
  • www.heirsproperty.org

Gullah Geechee Culture Resources

Culture HHI

Arts and cultural events to celebrate Hilton Head Island culture

Coastal Discovery Museum

Exhibits, events, tours, and experiences related to Island history and life

Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor

Offers public education programs, interpretations of Gullah Geechee history, documentation & preservation of tangible and intangible heritage, and heritage tourism

The Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island

Dedicated to maintaining Gullah customs, traditions, language, stories, songs, and structures on Hilton Head Island

  • Hilton Head Island
  • 843-681-3254
  • https://hhgullahmuse.wixsite.com/website

Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park

Telling the story of the first freedman's town in America

  • Hilton Head Island
  • 843-255-7301
  • https://exploremitchelville.org

Native Island Business & Community Affairs Association (NIBCAA)

Offers a variety of cultural programs, including the Gullah Celebration; Bridges2Lyfe; On the Hook Fishing Program; Arts Ob We People Gullah Wall/Art Academy Exhibition

  • Hilton Head Island
  • 843-255-7303
  • http://nibcaa.org

Penn Center

African American National Historic Landmark District with history and culture programs

  • St. Helena Island, SC
  • 843-838-2432
  • www.penncenter.com

The Heritage Library

Educational seminars and tours

  • Hilton Head Island
  • 843-686-6560
  • https://heritagelib.org