"Threat looms for Georgia descendants as land protections hang in the balance"

Descendants of enslaved people in Hogg Hummock, a Gullah-Geechee community on Sapelo Island, Georgia, are fighting against proposed zoning changes that would eliminate protections limiting home sizes and preventing land value increases. The rules were enacted in 1994 to preserve the African roots and traditions of the community. Residents fear that the changes would attract wealthy transplants, drive out current residents, and erase their historical culture. The proposed revisions describe Hogg Hummock as a community with limited water and sanitary sewer facilities, disregarding its unique needs and historic resources. The county commissioners are scheduled to vote on the changes next week.