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IT IS THURSDAY, JANUARY 5TH, 2023.
NEW YEAR, 10TH, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
CAN YOU GET A ROLL CALL PLEASE? YES, SIR.
AND NOW LET'S, WE HAVE THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF US THERE.
THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA PRESENT.
HAVE ALSO, UH, YOU RECEIVED THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER THE FIRST.
UM, THERE'S MOTION TO, TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES SHALL SECOND.
THANK YOU ALL BUSINESS AND NEW BUSINESS.
WE WILL LET VICTORIA, UH, LEAD US INTO THOSE AREAS.
I THINK I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ALL SINCE WE'VE BRING IN THESE FIVE DAYS.
BUT AGAIN, HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THAT ALL THAT GOOD THINGS.
HOPE HOLIDAYS ARE GOOD TO YOU.
SO WHAT WE ARE GONNA BE PRESENTING TO YOU THIS MORNING, IT'S PRETTY MUCH JUST AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE GAVE YOU LAST MONTH.
JUST KIND OF TOUCHING UP AND REFRESHING YOUR MEMORY TO SOME THINGS.
THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAS $190,000 AS OF DECEMBER 21ST, 21ST, 2022.
WHEN THIS REPORT WAS PUT TOGETHER, A TOTAL OF 25 HOMES HAVE BEEN SERVICED FOR HOME REPAIRS SUCH AS ROOFING, WET AND DAMAGED FLOORS AND SEPTIC PUMP OUTS TOTALING 1 11 263, A TOTAL OF 36,000.
$36,033 IS LISTED AS ESTIMATED SPENDING FOR THREE HOMES FOR SERVICE ON HOME REPAIRS.
AND AS OF THIS REPORT, UM, THESE NUMBERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CALCULATED AND HAVE BEEN MOVED OUT.
SO THOSE HOMES ARE COMPLETE AND FINAL INSPECTION HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
AND 36,000 3 33 HAS BEEN ENCUMBERED FOR A TOTAL OF 1 41 5 33 OF $150,000.
8,467 REMAINS IN THE HOME REPAIR LINE ITEM FOR A PROPERTY CLEANUP AND SEPTIC PUMP OUT.
4,633 HAS BEEN SPENT IN 3 37 OF A 5,000 BUDGET REMAINS FOR THE PROPERTY CLEANUP AND SEPTIC PUMP OUT TODAY.
FIVE APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR REPAIRS, ARE NOW WAITING ON ESTIMATES.
TWO APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN TURNED IN AND FIVE HAVE NOT YET BEEN APPROVED BY L COG.
I'M GONNA TAKE YOU DOWN TO THE EXCEL SPREADSHEET.
THERE IS A, UM, NUMBERS HAVE CHANGED IN THIS SINCE THE LAST REPORT.
SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ADOPTED BUDGET IS IN OUR GREEN, WHICH THOSE NUMBERS DO NOT MOVE YEAR TO DATE SPENDING IS OUR NEXT COLUMN.
THE ENCUMBRANCE WAS AT 36,333.
THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID OUT, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY CALCULATED INTO OUR NUMBERS.
SO SPENT AND ENCUMBERED TOTAL IS A TOTAL OF 1 47, 2 96.
SO THAT 1 41 HAS CHANGED THE ENCUMBERED AND SPENT, IT WAS 1 47 296.
SO THE AVAILABLE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE REMAINING IS 3,604.
SO THOSE NUMBERS HAVE ADJUSTED FROM OUR LAST TIME THAT THIS, UH, REPORT WAS PUT IN ON THE 21ST OR DECEMBER.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THERE? AND I CAN SEND YOU THE UPDATED, WE DID SOME NUMBERS AND, UH, TRANSFERRED SOME FUNDS, WELL NOT TRANSFERRED, PAID OUT SOME THINGS OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
SO ICONTINUE UPDATED OF THIS ONE, UM, AFTER THE MEETING.
BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT YOU SEE HERE NOW AND WHERE OUR NUMBERS STAND FOR EACH LINE ITEM? I THINK THE LAST TIME THAT WE MET, WE DID AGREE TO GO AHEAD AND, UM, DO AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET THAT HAVEN'T HAPPENED YET BECAUSE COUNCIL HAS TO MEET ON THAT.
THEY'RE NOT MEETING ON IT THIS MONTH, FEBRUARY.
SO WE'LL DO SOME ADJUSTMENTS AND WE'LL GET BACK TO WORK ON THOSE SIX APPLICATIONS THAT'S SITTING ON MY DESK AND TWO APPLICATIONS THAT ARE WAITING FOR APPROVAL FROM EL CALL.
SO WE HAVE EIGHT HOMES THAT ARE READY TO GET STARTED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, FOR THIS YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? HOW ARE YOU? UM, WHAT IS THE MAIN METHOD THAT PEOPLE ARE LEARNING ABOUT THIS? AGAIN, IT IS JUST WORD OF MOUTH.
UM, CHURCHES, GOODWILL, BLUFF AND SELF HEALTH HAS BEEN A BIG, UH, BIG HELP.
UM, THE BLUFFTON KITCHEN OVER AT CAMPBELL WHERE MY CHURCH FAMILY IS,
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I HAVE APPLICATIONS THERE.SO IT'S NOT A KNOCK ON DOOR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T GO SAY, I THINK YOU NEED THIS, YOU NEED THIS.
BUT PEOPLE THAT KNOW THEM THAT THINK, OKAY, YOU MIGHT NEED SOME ASSISTANCE, REACH OUT AND TOWN BLUFF AND, AND HELP YOU GET SOME STUFF DONE.
SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH JUST WORD OF MOUTH.
WHAT MEANS MEANS WE'RE GETTING AT, OVER THE HOLIDAYS, I THINK I GAVE OUT TWO OR THREE APPLICATIONS.
SO TO ME IT'S UM, IF MY BLACK TRUCK IS HOME, JUST KNOCK ON THE DOOR IF YOU NEEDED APPLICATION.
SO IT'S KIND OF AN OPEN DOOR POLICY THAT I HAVE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED HELP, JUST COME BY ME, YOU KNOW WHERE I AM.
UM, AND THAT'S HOW THAT'S BEEN WORKING.
UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS, COMMENTS? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU THINK THAT, UM, WE CAN SUPPORT YOU WITH TO HELP YOU? NO, JUST MOVED TO FEBRUARY TOWN COUNCIL A LITTLE SOONER, SO I GET GOING.
NO, I, I I THINK EVERYTHING'S GOING GOOD.
UM, DEFINITELY ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS PUT THAT OUT THERE.
DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR MORE CONTRACTORS.
THE ONLY THING WE JUST ASK THAT THEY'RE LICENSE AND INSURED KIND OF BLUFFTON.
JUST LOOKING FOR MORE CONTRACTORS.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, PROPOSED PROJECT.
WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, IT'S NOT TIME TO PUT THAT IN YET, BUT WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET THINGS TOGETHER.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO ASSIST LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS OF BLUFFTON WITH PROPERTY REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL HELP TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS WHILE CREATING A SAFER, MORE VIBRANT COMMUNITY THAT RETAINS ITS CHARACTER AND PROVIDES FOR QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
TO DATE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HAS HELPED 25 FAMILIES.
AS OF DECEMBER 21ST, 2022, A TOTAL OF 11 $111,263 HAS BEEN SPENT.
AND A BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUEST WAS MADE TO TOWN COUNCIL TO COMPLETE FISCAL YEAR 23.
IN THIS MEMO, TOWN STAFF HAS PROVIDED A RECOMMENDATION FOR AN INCREASED PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, WHICH WILL INCLUDE, WE WILL, UH, RECOMMENDED THAT WE MOVE UP OUR HOME REPAIRS, WHICH WAS 150,000.
SO WE ARE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO MAKE A 250,000 FOR HOME REPAIRS.
WE HAVE NOT ASKED ONE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR ABATEMENT AND DEMOL IN DEMOLITION.
WE HAVE ASKED FOR 5,000 MORE FOR PROPERTY CLEANUP AND SEPTIC PUMP OUT ONLY BECAUSE SEPTIC PUMP OUT HAS NOW BEEN JUMPED TO $400.
SO WHERE IT WAS 2 75, UH, BACK IN 20 18, 20 19 AFTER COVID, OR RIGHT DURING COVID, IT JUMPED TO ABOUT A HUNDRED MORE.
SO RIGHT NOW EVERY SEPTIC THAT WE CLEAN OUT IS $400 AND THAT'S KIND OF A, I CALL A REPEAT OFFENDER.
SO WE DO HAVE TO KEEP DOING THAT.
YOU KNOW, THAT ONE JOB OVER AND OVER AGAIN JUST FOR SANITATION ISSUES.
SO THAT ONE JOB, THAT ONE ADDRESS IS $400, UH, 5,000 FOR PRIVATE ROW REPAIR AND E 9 1 1 ADDRESSING.
WE HAVE NOT CHANGED THAT 10,000 FOR TREE MITIGATION.
SO THE LINE ITEM REQUESTS WILL BRING THE FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET TO A TOTAL OF $290,000.
TOWN STAFF REQUESTS THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE HAS AUTHORITY TO TAKE THAT FOLLOWING ACTION, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED OR RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE BUDGET WITH MODIFICATIONS.
THERE'S AN EXCEL SHEET, JUST KIND OF GIVEN A LAYOUT OF HOW THAT WORKS FOR OUR UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
I HAVEN'T TOUCHED IT AT ALL THIS FISCAL YEAR AND I THINK LAST YEAR WE USED IT ONCE.
SO WE SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE GOOD THERE.
I, UH, REFRESH MY MEMORY, BUT ON THE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE EXTENSIVE SEWER, UM, IN THE BUCK ISLAND VILLE AREA AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A FEW YEARS, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, DO WE GO BACK? IS THE MONIES, IS THE, ARE THE GRANTS TAKING CARE OF THE SEPTIC TANKS THAT EXIST? ARE THEY HAVING TO BE PUMPED OUT THROUGH THE GRANTS OR ARE THEY PUMPED OUT? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW? THE SEPTIC CENSUS IS NOT BEING PUMPED OUT THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE FUNDS.
NOW, WHEN IT GOES TO THE GRANTS, THAT'S KIND OF ENGINEERING.
IF THEY WANNA BE TIED IN, THEN THE SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND ALL THAT WANNA BE TIED IN.
I COULD BE WRONG, SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IF THEY WANNA COME IN AND GET TIED INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM, THEN ENGINEERING HANDLES THAT.
THEY JUST FILL OUT THE APPLICATION THROUGH US TO SEE IF THEIR INCOME QUALIFIED.
AND THEN I PASS IT OVER TO MARK MAXWELL FOR EXAMPLE, AND HE HANDLES THAT.
THE TIE-IN WHAT WE DO IS JUST CLEAN IT OUT, YOU KNOW, FLUSH IT OUT.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO USE IT ON A REGULAR.
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I WON'T GIVE THEM ANY TROUBLE FOR THE HOME.WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME? IF, IF, UM, NOT EVERYBODY'S TIED INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM, BUT THEY CAN APPLY TO YOU THROUGH YOU TO, FOR THE TOWN TO, TO HOOK THEM UP TO THE SEWER? YES.
I'M GONNA PASS THAT OVER TO COUNCIL HAMILTON CAUSE HE CAN ANSWER THAT A LOT BETTER THAN ME.
HOW THAT WORKS AND HOW WE CAME TO THAT.
REMEMBER THEY HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS MM-HMM.
BUT IF YOU, UH, THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT IN ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW ON THE BUCK ISLAND, CENTERVILLE, THAT'S NOT BEEN TIED INTO THE SEWER, UM, UNDER THE GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE.
IF THEY HAVE, UM, SEPARATE, UH, DRAINING SYSTEM ISSUES, THEY CAN GET THOSE THINGS, UM, PUMP OUT UNTIL WE GET THEM HOOK UP.
MORE THAN LIKELY THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET THAT GRANT.
GRANT IS, WE ARE IN THE LAST PHASE OF IT NOW.
WE HAVE, UM, WE HAD A CONTRACT TO PULL UP THE JOB, SO THAT'S WHAT HOLDING THINGS ON.
BUT, BUT IT'S BEEN APPROVED, UM, FOR A NEW CONTRACTOR TO COME IN, I THINK IN FEBRUARY.
IF YOU DIDN'T, I THOUGHT WE VOTED ON THE LAST TIME, BUT IF NOT, LET'S DO IT NOW.
THOSE NUMBERS LOOK GOOD TO YOU GUYS.
UM, IF YOU SAY THAT THE FIVE FOR, UM, EMERGENCY ROLL REPAIRS, IT IS GOOD.
HOW MUCH OF THAT, CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MUCH OF THAT WE USED? UH, THIS FISCAL YEAR? IT'S NOT ON WILL YOU GUYS HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE WE JUST PAID OUT OF BILL.
SO RIGHT NOW, OUT OF THAT 10,000 FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE 3000 REMAINING AND WE'VE HOPED FOUR HOMES.
SO WE HAVE 3000 REMAINING FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE OKAY.
HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT LOOKING AT THE, UM, THE ROAD REPAIR AND TREE MITIGATION? DOES PEOPLE HAVE, DO PEOPLE HAVE TO COME TO YOU OR DO YOU ALL KNOW AREAS THAT MAY NEED ASSISTANCE? SO THEY'VE BEEN COMING TO US STATES, FOR INSTANCE, EXAMPLE, THE TREE MITIGATION.
IF THERE IS A TREE, UM, THAT'S KIND OF HOVERING OVER THE ROOF, UM, AND IS SCRAPING THE ROOF, IF WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO ROOF REPAIR, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE DEADLINES DOWN OR WHATEVER'S HANGING.
SO WHEN WE DO FIX THE ROOF, IT WON'T BE A REPEAT.
SO HOW THAT WORKS, WE HAVE AN ARBORIST THAT GOES OUT WITH ME, JORDAN HOLLOWAY IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO JORDAN GOES WITH ME AS WELL AS AUBURN NATURE TO EITHER DECLARE A DISEASE OR, YES, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT DOWN.
SO FAMILIES COME TO US IF THEY, YOU KNOW, JUST WANNA GET THIS DOWN BECAUSE SOMETHING MAY HAPPEN OR THEY'RE COMING TO US BECAUSE THEY NEED A ROOF AND THEN THE TREE NEEDS TO GO AS WELL.
NOW WHEN IT COMES TO PRIVATE ROAD REPAIR, SAY IF YOU HAVE A DIRT ROAD AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, MUDDY BOGGY WHEN THERE'S A DOWNPOUR EYE CONTACT THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GET IN AND OUT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT PROBLEMS. IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, GOD FORBID AMBULANCE NEEDS TO GO BACK AND THERE'S POTHOLE, THEY'RE BUMPING UP AND DOWN.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THAT WORKS.
THE FAMILY COMES TO US OR THE RESIDENTS COME TO US SAYING, YOU KNOW, I THINK MY ROAD NEEDS TO WORK, SO CAN WE EITHER SMOOTH IT OUT, LET'S PAVE IT OUT, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT SINCE 20.
DOES EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HELP TOO, THOUGH? DIDN'T WE USE THIS FUND TO MAKE, TO DO SIGNS FOR ROADS AND STUFF? THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN? I THINK WE DID THAT ONCE.
I DID THAT ONCE WHEN I FIRST CAME ON, THERE WAS A SIGN THAT NEEDED TO BE PUT UP FOR THE E 9 1 1 EMERGENCY PURPOSES.
DID I ANSWER, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION TOO.
IS THE TWO 50 GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR THE FISCAL YEAR? SO IF IT IS NOT, UM, WE KIND OF GOT STUCK MIDWAY IN, UM, FOR THIS YEAR.
WELL, NOT STUCK, BUT THAT WAS A GOOD THING WE KIND OF GOT, UM, CAME TO A WHOLE MIDYEAR
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IN.BUT I THINK IF WE NEED TO COME BACK OR IF I NEED TO COME BACK HALFWAY THROUGH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA BE GREEDY AND JUST SAY, GIMME, GIMME WANNA USE IT RESPONSIBLY.
SO, UM, I'VE PUT THAT EXTRA A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THERE AND IF WE DO NEED A CUSHION, THEN I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST COME BACK TO YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO JUST PUT IT IN THERE JUST TO SAY IT'S THERE.
SO I THINK WE, I THINK WE SHOULD BE GOOD.
THE REASON I ASKED, IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, OR THIS SINCE JUNE, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 25,000 A MONTH.
SO THAT TAKES IT UP TO ABOUT 300,000 IF YOU, AND WE STILL, WE STILL HAVE SOME, UM, IF WE NEED TO PULL FROM ABBA, I KNOW COUNCILMAN MIKE, THAT IF WE NEED TO PULL FROM ABATEMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN I'LL DEFINITELY COME BACK AND WE CAN TUCK OR WHILE WE'RE SITTING HERE.
NOW, IF YOU TAKE ME TO TAKE IT TO 300,000, I MEAN, JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST CUSHION IT JUST TO BE PUTTING IT IN THERE.
BUT, UM, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S MORE MOMENTUM AND, UM, OBLIGATIONS THAT YOU'RE GETTING? MM, PRICES? YEAH.
PRICES ARE STEADILY CLIMBING, SO WE, I MIGHT NEED TO TAKE IT BACK.
PRICES HAVE BEEN CLIMBING, BUT LIKE I SAID, I THINK IF WE GET THOSE RIGHT CONTRACTORS, AND I'M TRYING TO GET MY CONTRACTORS TO THINK, YOU KNOW, I, I'M COMING BACK TO YOU TO USE YOU.
SO DON'T, DON'T TRY TO CRACK SCOUTS ME BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN SEEING KIND OF A DIFFERENCE IN DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO THE MORE CONTRACTORS, CONTRACTORS THAT I CAN GET ON MY TEAM, THE MORE I CAN STRETCH OUT PROJECTS INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING AT, OKAY, YOU DO THIS, YOU DO THIS, I CAN KIND OF STRETCH IT AND GET SOME DIFFERENT QUOTES.
BECAUSE WHEN I DO GO TO FINANCE, I DO HAVE TO HAVE TWO OR THREE QUOTES TO TAKE TO FINANCE.
SO I THINK RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO PLAY WITH OUR NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT MORE, GET MORE CONTRACTORS THAT'S GONNA DO THE WORK.
NOT SAY LESS MONEY, POOR WORK, BUT BETTER QUALITY FOR A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
SO I'M JUST KIND OF, THIS YEAR I'M GOING TO GRAB TIGHT AND DO A LITTLE BIT MORE.
YOU KNOW, I REALLY NEED CONTRACTORS, SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY, I WANNA STRETCH THE WORK ACROSS THE BOARD.
THOSE ROOFERS OR LIKE ROOFERS, CARPENTERS, UM, WE DON'T REALLY TOUCH PLUMBING.
SO ROOFERS, CARPENTERS, UH, WINDOWS, PRETTY MUCH CARPENTERS CAN DO ALL OF THAT.
SO TO BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, MS. STAPLES, I THINK WE'LL BE OKAY.
JUST TO, TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS HERE.
UM, SHOULD WE GO AHEAD, IF WE DECIDE TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE BUDGET THAT'S PROPOSED TO GO TO COUNSEL? WE HAVEN'T EVEN SAT DOWN IN THE BUDGET MEETINGS YET, SO THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR THE CHAIRMAN TO GO BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE MORE HISTORY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS OR WHATEVER.
SO WHAT'S THAT? ARE WE GOOD? WANT? WE'RE GOOD.
NOW, UH, WE ARE DOWN TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND I WANT TO WELCOME MY GUEST, SENATOR DAVIS, WHO IS, WHO'S MY PERSONAL GUEST, BUT HAVE TO SIT THROUGH MY MEETING.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENTS, LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS, THE TOPIC IS WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, WOULD YOU MIND STATING YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD SO WE CAN MA'AM.
TOM DAVIS, UM, UH, LIVE IN BEAUFORT, BUILDING A HOME IN BLUFFTON.
AND, UM, UH, MET, UM, ON TUESDAY WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN AND, UM, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER.
AND WE'LL MEET WITH YOU AFTERWARD.
I THINK THERE IS AN, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET AN APPROPRIATION IN THE STATE BUDGET THIS YEAR FOR THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST DONE THAT'S RECENTLY BEEN SET UP AND, UM, ACUTELY AWARE OF, UH, THE NEED FOR WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, BUT I REALLY THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH Y'ALL.
I AM A NEW EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, SO IT'S NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU.
AND, UM, DID YOU SPEAK JUST A LITTLE LOUDER? I APOLOGIZE.
I'M A NEW EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AS OF DECEMBER 8TH.
UM, WHEN I SAW THE AGENDA AND THAT THERE WAS AN AFFORDABLE, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE, I WAS THRILLED.
SO I I WANTED TO COME AND SEE WHAT YOU WERE ABOUT.
UM, AND MY ISSUE, MAYBE JUST EVEN ON THE HEELS, COINCIDENTALLY, OF WHAT THIS GENTLEMAN, UH, MR. DAVIS JUST SAID, UM, I WANT, I WANT I WORK IN, OR I, I WORK FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
UM, AT PRESENT, I CAN'T AFFORD TO, UM, THE LEAST EXPENSIVE APARTMENT
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COMPLEX THAT, UM, I'VE FOUND IS 1500, WHICH I'M TRYING TO, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA APPLY TO.UM, BUT EVEN IF THEY ASK FOR THE STANDARD THREE TIMES YOUR, YOU NEED TO MAKE THREE TIMES WHAT YOUR MONTHLY RENT IS, I WOULDN'T PRESENTLY QUALIFY BASED ON MY PAY.
UM, SO THAT'S DAUNTING AND FRUSTRATING.
UM, SO I JUST WONDERED IF PART OF YOUR, UM, MISSION PURPOSE IS ALSO TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT, UM, THE PRICE OF STANDARD APARTMENT LIVING HOUSING IS, UM, BEYOND REACH FOR SOMEONE.
I MEAN AN EDUCATED PROFESSIONAL PERSON EARNING A DECENT SALARY, AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE LEAST EXPENSIVE APARTMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE HERE THAT I'VE FOUND.
UM, I'VE DONE SOME DIGGING
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR TYLER BLUFFTON? I AM THE NEW PAYROLL COORDINATOR, SO I WELCOME BOY, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH
UM, BUT I KNOW YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOME REPAIRS TODAY.
YES, I DID, BUT THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO, RIGHT? OUR MAIN FOCUS IS TO TRY TO BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO BLUFFTON, AND WE DO HAVE, UM, THAT AS OUR PRIOR MOST, UM, PRIORITY IS TO BRING AFFORDABLE LIVING TO BLUFFTON.
UM, SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE MANY THINGS, MANY TOOLS IN THE BOX THAT WE ARE TRYING TO, UM, I GUESS WORK WITH RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT? IT IS CHALLENGING, BUT WE, OUR HEARTS AND SOULS ARE, ARE DEFINITELY PUT IN PLACE TO BRING, UM,
MIGHT YOU HAVE, UM, UM, KNOWN, KNOWN FACILITIES THAT, OR APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT UM, DO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, MIDDLE TO LOW INCOME? DIDN'T KEVIN PUT TOGETHER, DIDN'T KEVIN PUT TOGETHER A WHOLE SPREADSHEET OF PRODUCTS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT? OH, LAST MEETING OF LIVABLE, UM, MEAN APARTMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR WHERE SHE HAD? I DON'T THINK SO.
I JUST WAS CURIOUS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND AND, AND BE, UM, PART OF THE PROCESS.
WHERE DID YOU FIND A PLACE TO LIVE? UM, PLACE CALLED THE BLUESTONE, WHICH IS JUST LITERALLY A COUPLE MILES FROM HERE.
I PUT IN MY NAME ON A WAIT LIST FOR THEIR $1,500 UNIT.
IS THAT ON A SIMMONS BILL? UM, NO, THAT'S ON THE PARKWAY.
LITERALLY BEYOND THE TOWN, BEYOND THE GOVERNMENT CENTER.
I HAVEN'T VISITED IT PHYSICALLY.
UM, SO I LEASE, IS IT ONE BEDROOM? I'M SORRY? IS IT A ONE BEDROOM? IT'S A ONE BEDROOM, YEAH.
UM, THAT ENDS APRIL 1ST AND I'VE ALREADY BEEN PRICED OUT OF THE APARTMENT I'M LIVING IN.
SO EVEN IF I WERE TO RENEW, IT'S NOW $175 MORE PER MONTH THAN IT WAS WHEN I MOVED IN, IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, OR 2022.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S A CONCERN NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, BUT FOR ANYONE IN MY SAME POSITION.
SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE WORKING FOR.
ANYMORE DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN? DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSED, UH, BUDGET RECOMMENDATION? THE, UH, PROVIDE A MOTION FOR US? YES, SIR.
I MAKE, UH, UM,
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BY MRS. MS. MALLS.CAN YOU GET THIS AMOUNT? THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS 200 AND, UM, $90,000 FOR THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 24.
AND SECOND BY, UM, MEG, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE SAID MOTION, LETTING YOU KNOW BY SAYING AYE.
AND AGAIN, LIKE COUNCILMAN WOOD SAID, IF YOU GUYS SEE, OR, YOU KNOW, HAVEN'T US CHANGED YOUR THOUGHT, WE HAVE SOME TIME TO PLAY WITH THAT.
AND, UM, NEXT THING ON OUR AGENDA, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE AND SUPPORTING THE SUPPORT OF A HOUSING, UM, MISSION THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY TASKED WITH.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR SENATOR DAVIS FOR BEING HERE.
AND I THANK YOU BEING RIGHT YES.