Tyler Perry has vowed to help a 93-year-old grandmother of 40 who says real estate developers are trying to evict her from the home her family has owned since the Civil War.
Josephine Wright’s bungalow in Hilton Head, Carolina is in the middle of an area being developed by Bailey Point Investment.
They wanted to buy her land, but she refused. They have since sued her, claiming that parts of her property are on her land.
“I’ve been pretty much a fighter my whole life,” she said. “At first it confused me. But then it made me angry.’
Perry, the billionaire film producer and studio owner based in Atlanta, Georgia, saw the local news report on her case and now said he wants to help.
Josephine Wright, 93, is fighting to save the Hilton Head, South Carolina home (pictured) her family has owned since the Civil War
Billionaire film producer Tyler Perry, who was seen in November, has promised to help Josephine Wright
Perry wrote on Twitter: “I’ve been a fighter my whole life,” said 93-year-old Josephine Wright. That makes two of us.
‘MS. Wright, please tell us where to show up and what you need to help in the fight.’
Film producer Will Packer commented, ‘I got Mrs Josephine back too.’ Count me in TP.’
Singer Fantasia agreed, adding, “I’ll stand by your side too, Tyler.”
Wright told WSAV that the property has been her family’s home for generations.
“This house means it’s a home, a place that I want to be at that age,” she said.
It has been in the family since shortly after the Civil War.
Her husband was a Gullah Geechee Islander, descendant of Africans enslaved on the rice, indigo, and Sea Island cotton plantations of the lower Atlantic coast along the Carolinas. Many came from rice-growing regions of West Africa.
His relatives were escaped slaves and were freed by Union soldiers.
Bailey Point has begun construction of a 147-unit development spanning over 65 acres.
They wanted to buy her land: when she said no, she claimed a harassment campaign had begun. She said her tires were slashed, rubbish was thrown on her property and a snake was hanging out of one of her windows.
Bailey Point says Wright is blocking construction progress. They sued her and accused her of having her porch on their property.
The developers sued Wright, claiming her porch was on their property
Wright said she was harassed after refusing to sell her land
Wright has already paid for a shed move that cost about $1,900 and got rid of a satellite dish.
Former State Representative Bakari Sellers is now working with Wright’s legal team and is asking people to call the developer and lawmakers to help Wright keep her property.
“We sent a letter two weeks ago just asking the developer for a notice. Just ask the developer to talk to us. Talk to her. Just to have a conversation together about how to proceed,” Sellers said.
“I find it more disrespectful than no if you don’t answer.”
Wright has an attorney and is fighting the lawsuit, but her family is asking for help paying the legal fees for this fight. A GoFundMe has been set up to support Josephine with her legal expenses.
“We value or seek to accumulate generational wealth,” Sellers said.
“If you talk about poverty in our communities, it’s because we don’t have land, and when we have land, people want to take it from us.”
“There’s a lot of people to pick on.” Go for me.
“Don’t pick a 93-year-old woman who hasn’t done anything wrong in her life.”
Wright’s neighbors are now involved and working to protect them and the land.
“We do not have the right to change what has already been approved; The ship sailed. “We can’t change the zoning,” said Kelly LeBlanc, part of the newly formed Jonesville Preservation Society.
“The city is examining the approval phase very closely. “The city makes sure that the legal texts are observed.”
Kelly LeBlanc, part of the newly formed Jonesville Preservation Society (pictured), said she was working to fight back against the developers
Wright said she wanted to fight to keep her home.
“I guess they thought the harassment would upset me enough to say, ‘Take it.’ But they don’t know me. “I’m here to fight for what I have,” she said.
“I don’t want to say anything that could be used against me, but I think they’re ruthless and greedy and want all the property they can get their hands on.”
Perry is known for his generosity, especially in the Atlanta area.
In February, he donated $2.75 million through the nonprofit Invest Atlanta Partnership to help low-income seniors with their property tax payments.
He donated $750,000 in the first year to cover back taxes and any property tax increases, and has pledged $500,000 each year for the next four years to ensure residents don’t have to pay additional taxes.
Perry hosts food giveaways every year just in time for Thanksgiving and has helped numerous organizations that have been victims of crime.
His charitable endeavors include building a home for a great-grandmother of seven who lost everything in a fire; Surprise kids with a trip to Disney World. and holding a camp quarantine at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta.