Who are we?

The Sterling Land Trust is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization formed in 2010 by concerned residents, Sterling High School alumni, and supportive stakeholders who sought to restore the community’s glory and preserve the legacy of the former Sterling High School.

We are the first Community Land Trust in the state of South Carolina.  As a neighborhood Land Trust, we serve the Greater Greenville, South Carolina Community, with special emphasis on the Sterling Neighborhood. Today, the neighborhood remains a symbolic center of African-American history in Greenville.  More than a symbol, though, the neighborhood is a home to many families and individuals from all walks of life.   We strive to collaborate with other low-income communities to make Greenville a better place for everyone. 

We focus on neighborhood sustainability, grassroots organizing, and the development of commercial and residential real estate. Since our formation, we have initiated the process of revitalizing the neighborhood as outlined in the Sterling Neighborhood Master Plan, which was conceived in 2010 in collaboration with stakeholders, the community, and government entities.

Our beginnings, though small-scale, have resulted in urban farming, acquiring properties to redevelop, and working with other low- to moderate-income builders, with an emphasis on informing the neighborhood about new developments and seeking their approval.  Sterling is poised to become a leading Greenville neighborhood once again!

Our History

The Sterling neighborhood was once the social and economic hub of the African American community in Greenville, due to the presence of Sterling High School. Sterling was the only high school in the area open to African American youth during the Jim Crow Era; some students came from as far as Georgia to attend. It is a continuation of this great school pride, combined with a focus on preventing gentrification that spurred the land trust’s creation.

The Sterling neighborhood of Greenville, SC was once home to a vibrant and flourishing African American community. Following a fire at the Sterling High School, many residents moved, leaving the community to deteriorate over time. While Sterling experienced rising crime rates and increasing blight, the neighborhood now is vulnerable to gentrification pressure from nearby downtown Greenville. The Sterling Land Trust, founded in 2010 was the first community land trust in South Carolina and exemplifies community-led change. Focusing on neighborhood sustainability, grassroots organizing, and developing commercial and residential real estate, the land trust relies on residents to lead the charge in revitalizing this treasured community.

Our Board