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. WELCOME TO MARCH 2ND IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEETING OUR REQUEST OVER TO OUR CHAIRMAN NO CALLS OR EVEN A ROLL CALL JEREMY HAMILTON STANWOOD THERE GREAT STAPLES HERE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR MAJOR GWEN CHAMBERS, DOUG MCGILL HERE YOU HAVE THE AGENDA FOR US IS THERE MOTION TO MAKE A MOTION TO SET CERTAIN ON THE FIELD I WOULD POSE AS HAVING ALSO THE MINUTE FROM FEBRUARY TO SAY THE MOST TO THE MINUTES SO THAT ALL THE BIG ORDERS I HAVE IT THANK YOU VERY MUCH I JUST WANT TO ADD FOR THE RECORD MR. MCGILL WILL RECUSE HIMSELF TO SEE WHETHER THERE IS A REPEAT OF THAT VOTE ON THIS.
JUST TO PUT IT FOR THE RECORD 4 MINUTES 1 MINUTES IT SAID IN THE MINUTES I THINK IN TIME BUT THAT HE WASN'T A PART OF THE MEETING LAST MONTH. HE'S STILL GO YEAH.
OH AND IF YOU HAVE A COPY OF IT YOU GOT HOBBIES. SO I THINK THAT IT.
NOW WE TURN IT OVER TO MS. SMALL THE AND BUSINESS RIGHT GOOD MORNING WE HAD AN OLD BUSINESS SO I'M GOING TO GET TO OUR NEW BUSINESS. I'M GOING TO SCROLL DOWN THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 ANALYSIS PROGRAM IS WAS 190,020 THOUSAND WAS PLACED INTO THE ON JANUARY TEN, 2023 TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM OF HUNDRED AND $10,000 AS OF FEBRUARY 23RD 2023 A TOTAL OF AMAZON BECAUSE I NEED TO GET BY TO GET ANOTHER ONE BUT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE AS FEBRUARY 23RD 2023 APRIL MONTHS HAVE BEEN SERVICE FOR HOME REPAIRS SUCH AS REMOVING WET AND DEBRIS FOR REPAIRS AND SEPARATE PUMP OUT TOTALING 160,000 935 PAID TO DATE AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THOSE BY THE WAY FOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS WE HAVE A 173,222 FOR ONE ADDITIONAL SESSION THREE WE HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED FOR ABOUT HUNDRED 75,000 6063 BEEN SPENDING FOR TREATMENT NATION 7000 HAS BEEN SPENDING TODAY 23,065 REMAINING IN THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET TODAY SEVEN APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR REPAIRS AND ARE WAITING ON FIVE APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO ME BUT I HAVE NOT YET SIGNED THOSE APPLICATIONS AND TO LOOK AT RECORDS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS BREAKDOWN? EXPLAIN TO THEM I KNOW WHY BUT EXPLAIN TO THOSE LISTENING AND HEAR WHY INTERNAL THEN SO I HAVE NOT TURNED OVER IT IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ARE ON PAUSE THE SPENDING FOR FISCAL 23 DOWN COUNCIL HAS ONE MORE READING ON THAT TWO MINUTE BUDGET SO THAT WOULD BE DONE ON THE NEXT TOWN COUNCIL MEETING WITH OUR LEADERS MARCH 15TH IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN OR MAYBE BEFORE NOON THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT OUR AGAIN. I JUST HAVE NOT HEARD OVER THEN BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THOSE FAMILIES WAITING AND I DO NOTHING.
YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT A PAUSE PARTICIPATING. YOU ARE NEXT IN LINE SOON WITH OUR FUNDS ARE RELEASED SO THAT IS WHY HAVE PAUSED THERE WITH THE GETTING OUR INCOME VERIFICATION THANK YOU OPERATOR AND I WILL SKIP OVER TO OUR EXCEL SHEET SO YOU CAN SEE IT KIND OF BROKEN DOWN A LITTLE BIT BETTER. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT WE DO HAVE A TWO LINE ITEMS IN RED JUST BECAUSE WE HAD TO GET SOME THINGS DONE SAID IF THEY HAD SOMETHING SANITARY AND WE NEED THAT TO BE DONE A SAFE AND AT HOME REPAIR WE DIDN'T HAVE SOMETHING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE ASAP AS WELL SO THOSE TWO ITEMS IN RED ONCE WE DO OUR BUDGET AMENDMENT THOSE TWO ITEMS WILL BE REPLENISHED AND THEN WE WOULD START OVER AND TAKE BACK WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE OUT OF THAT RED .
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID. YOU SAID THAT THOSE WERE EMERGENCIES THAT WE NEEDED TO GET DONE RIGHT AWAY. YES, MA'AM.
OUT OF THAT AFFECT THE BUDGETING IT'S OVER FOR THAT PARTICULAR ITEM THAT IS THE TOM REPAIR THERE'S $150,000 IN THERE BUT WE SPENT OVER THAT ALLOTTED OKAY SO THAT WAS TOOK US TO THE NEGATIVE OKAY AND WE'LL JUST MOVE THAT BACK WHERE YOU WANT IT TO WHERE IT NEEDS BE EXACTLY. WE'LL PUT IT BACK 3000 322 BACK IN OFF THE TOP ONCE WE GET APPROVAL FROM TOP ACCOUNTS OKAY. FOR THE EXTRA FUNDS FOR THE REMAINING YEAR OF THE YEAR DO WE HAVE ENOUGH 23 OR 65 LEFT IN THE BUDGET?
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DO WE ENOUGH TO CARRY US THROUGH FISCAL YEAR? SO THAT'S WHAT'S LEFT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BUT WE'RE WAITING ON THE TOWN COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE ADDED IS ABOUT 23,000 OKAY SO WHAT TOWN COUNCIL IS AT IS ONLY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS FISCAL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE ADDED TO THE 23 SO WE'LL FINISH ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THEY DID A GREAT JOB WITH THIS BABY OUT WITH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU APPLICATIONS ARE COMING IN IT HAS BEEN A PAUSE AND I CAN SAY JUST FOR THOSE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE SITTING ON MY DESK I KIND OF GIVE THEM EVERY TWO WEEKS UPDATE OR THEY'LL CALL AND SAY DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME.NO, NO SIR. THAT IS JUST RIGHT NOW WE'RE ON PAUSE AND THEY UNDERSTAND I HAVE YOU EYEBALL THOSE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD TAKE US OVER. I'M SORRY I HAVE YOU EYEBALL.
YES, YES. BECAUSE THEY'RE DEFINITELY KIDS .
OKAY. YEAH. SO I DON'T WANT TO PUT US IN ONE FURTHER AND THEN WE ARE ALL RIGHT. YES, MA'AM THANK YOU, MA'AM.
AND I AM GOING TO BACKTRACK BECAUSE I SKIPPED NUMBER ONE SO WE HAVE A NEW BASE ON OUR LINE WHEN OUR LINE MR. JASMINE GILL IS A FORMER VICE PRESIDENT I TEACH IN A NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE. THE PLAN MR. MCGILL HAS FOUND IS SMALL BUSINESSES AND WAS A RADIO HOST AS WELL AS A VARSITY LACROSSE HEAD COACH FOR A LOT HIGH SCHOOL.
HE HAD SERVED ON THE BOARD OF A NUMBER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS CHAIRING A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES FOR THE MCGILL IS A FORMER CITY COUNCILMAN WHO SERVED ON A PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY COMMITTEE AS WELL AS HELPING DEVELOP NEEDS HOUSING POLICY THAT HIS WIFE HAS RAISED SEVEN CHILDREN AT OUR MEETINGS AND HOW MANY OF THEM NOW WANT TO VISIT THEM NOW THAT WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT IT THAT HAD ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE AND IS HONORED TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE WORKING TO AMELIORATE ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES WE FACE. SO I INTRODUCE TO THE BOARD BOARD MEMBER MR. DOUG LEGGATE THANK YOU. WELCOME TO WE HAVE TO HAVE ANY COMMENT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHEN I PARKS HAD HIS OFFICE HE WAS IN AN OFFICE WITH HIS DOOR CLOSE I BELIEVE HE WAS IN A MEETING I THINK THAT'S THAT HE DOES WANT TO GIVE US A QUICK UPDATE ON THE TONIGHT AND IF I'M ABLE TO UPDATE SO CHARLIE WAS ON A GRAPH AND ANYONE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION WHILE WE PASS BY ON THE SCREEN SO THE BACK OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT OKAY ANYONE MERITED FROM SALES OF THEIR BANK THIS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO COME UP TO THE MIKE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM SO BANK MAYBE DON'T MIND JUST SPEAKING INTO THE MIKE FOR US AND GIVING YOUR REACTION. NOT SURE. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
MEREDITH WATSON I AM A MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER WITH OUR STATE BANK AND I WORK WITH THE NO LESS POLITE HERE AT THE BRANCH OVER ON OAK FOREST DRIVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER SO.
TINA'S INVITED ME TO COME HERE BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO LEARN I GET MYSELF INJECTED INTO THE COMMUNITY AND SEE WHERE I CAN HELP YOU GUYS. I WANTED TO EDUCATE YOU ON SOME OF THE LOAN PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER OUR STATE BANK AND BEING AS YOU WERE ON THE COMMITTEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE HAVE A PRODUCT PARTICULARLY THAT I THINK WOULD BE INVEST INTEREST OF YOU AND AND CLIENTS THAT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY IT'S CALLED OUR BUYERS ADVANTAGE PROGRAM AND IT IS 100% FINANCING WITH NO MORTGAGE INSURANCE.
IT IS A SOUTH STATE BANK PORTFOLIO AND THAT'S HUGE. WE DON'T THERE'S NO OTHER LENDERS IN THIS AREA THAT OFFER SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO IT REALLY CAN HELP CLIENTS THAT ARE LOWER INCOME BECAUSE THE WAY TO QUALIFY THIS PRODUCT IS THEIR INCOME DO NOT EXCEED 80% OF THE AREA. MEDIAN INCOME. SO THAT'S THE WAY YOU CAN QUALIFY THAT'S BEST IT'S VERY WELL PRICED IF YOU'RE COMPARING TO A STANDARD FANNIE MAE PRODUCT WITH SOMEBODY PUTTING 20% DOWN TODAY'S RATE WOULD BE 6.875 IN OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUYERS ADVANTAGE PRODUCT IS 6.25 FOR A 30 YEAR FIXED. SO IT'S PRICED VERY FAVORABLE.
THE DEBT TO INCOME RATIO IS 45% WHICH IS STANDARD AND THE MINIMUM CREDIT SCORE WOULD BE 40. SO THAT'S JUST ONE PRODUCT WE HAVE OF COURSE WE OFFER SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS AND I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND I'M JUST NEW TO THIS I'M JUST READING WHAT YOU WERE GOING OVER. BUT WE OFFER RENOVATION LOANS TO FOUR CLIENTS IF HOME IS NEEDING REPAIRS WE OFFER LOANS ON OUR PORTFOLIO AS WELL.
BUT I'M HERE JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH
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YOU ALL YOU WOULD LIKE AND I'M HERE TO LEARN AND LISTEN SO. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING YOU CAN CALL ME. I'LL PASS OUT MY CARDS LATER. MEREDITH YOU TELL WHAT PORTFOLIO LOOK PORTFOLIO LOANS MEAN IT'S A SOUTH STATE BIG MORTGAGE.WE DON'T SELL IT. IT'S SOLD ON OUR BOOKS. THAT IS A PORTFOLIO.
I'M THINKING OVER THE INTEREST RATE AGAIN TODAY 30 YEAR FIXED IS 6.25% BUT YES THAT'S OUR PROJECT. THAT IS THE BUYER'S ADVANTAGE PER PRODUCT THAT IS 100% FINANCING WITH MORTGAGE INSURANCE. SO TYPICALLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING A FANNIE MAE PRODUCT AND YOU'RE PUTTING LESS THAN 20% DOWN, CLIENTS ARE REQUIRED PAY PRIVATE MORTGAGE INSURANCE WHICH CAN GET VERY PRICEY A COUPLE DOLLARS A MONTH DEPENDING ON CREDIT DEBT TO INCOME RATIO BUT. THIS PRODUCT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT ANYTHING DOWN AND THERE'S NO MORTGAGE INSURANCE THE WAY TO QUALIFY IS IF THEIR INCOME IS LESS THAN 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN 80 OR LESS AND 80 GET CORRECT 80% OR LESS OR LESS 80% OR LESS. OKAY AREA MEDIAN INCOME RIGHT. I THINK THAT MY CROWD SO I BELIEVE IT'S 92 THIS YEAR I THINK I SHOULD HAVE PULLED THAT AND I CAN GET I FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND GET THAT EXACT NUMBER WHAT THAT AREA THE WOULD BE A FAMILY OF FOUR YEAH THANK YOU YOU HAVE 80% IS 69,350 SO THAT'S 80% PERCENT FOR A FAMILY AND FOR A FAMILY FOR A 80% IS $69,350. SO 100% I THINK IT'S 92 YOU HAVE RATIFIED 85 SO 80% OR 95% 69. BUT WHAT ABOUT A FAMILY A FAMILY OF ONE, A SINGLE TAKE SO I'M TALKING ABOUT THE AMOUNT IF THE 80% ONE PERSON IS 48,550. OKAY.
AND THOUGH THOSE NUMBERS WILL UPDATE IN APRIL, THAT'S FOR 2022.
SO THE NUMBERS UPDATE KIND OF UPDATES THEM EVERY APRIL. SO I'LL HAVE A NEW PRIMARY EXPERIENCE ANSWER HERE. THANK YOU. OF COURSE YOU KNOW AS A REALTOR WITH A LOT OF THAT COULD REALLY USE SOMETHING THAT WAS THE LAST GOOD DO A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS OR IS THIS A NEW PROGRAM TRYING TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE? A LOT OF THE REAL ESTATE AGENTS DO NOT. A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT.
SO I I TRY TO EDUCATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN. OKAY.
THIS IS THE TIME HERE WE'RE GOING TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S OUR STATE BANK REALLY EMPHASIZES ON OUR VALUES.
WE WANT TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY IN INCOME IN EVERY FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH.
OKAY. SURE. DO WE KNOW WHAT THE HOME VALUE WOULD BE TO FIT INTO A FAMILY OF FOUR BASED ON HIS CRITERIA? SO YOU'RE ASKING WHAT LOAN AMOUNTS THERE'S OTHER WORDS IS A $250,000 HOUSE A $300,000 HOUSE AND THE DEBT LOAD OF THE CURRENT CLIENT. SO YOU'RE ASKING IF THAT IF THE CLIENT MADE IT 69,000 WHAT THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE? I'D HAVE TO RUN SOME CALCULATIONS. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THEIR CURRENT DEBT LOAD.
IF THEY HAVE NO DEBT THEN I WOULD JUST CALCULATE WHAT THE MORTGAGE PAYMENT THE PROPOSED MORTGAGE PAYMENT WOULD BE. I'M DONE UP TO 350 I THINK IN THIS AREA ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL WITHOUT. BUT AGAIN EVERY CLIENT IS DIFFERENT IF A CLIENT HAS STUDENT LOANS A CAR PAYMENT CREDIT CARDS I HAVE TO INCLUDE THAT IN THEIR QUALIFYING.
SO IT JUST VARIES FROM CLIENT'S CLIENT. RIGHT.
BUT I CAN FOLLOW UP AND GET THE NEXT TIME I COME HERE I CAN GIVE YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO SEE IF WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF OF A CLIENT HAS NO DEBT WHAT THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR AS FAR AS THE LOAN AMOUNT I THINK THE SAMPLE SHARE SAY THAT OF HERE IS I ASK THE QUESTION IS OBVIOUS BECAUSE OUR HOUSING COSTS HERE IS VERY HIGH FOR EXAMPLE I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE UNDER THIS MODEL SOMEBODY WOULD FIT THAT COURSE I'LL.
GET THAT FOR YOU NEXT TIME I COME I CAN AND I DO NOT GO TO THAT VERY LOW INVENTORY FOR THE HOME SO YEAH IS IT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO A COUPLE PRINTOUTS FOR YOU GUYS IS THAT A GOOD PASS OUT FOR NEXT MEETING. YES. GREAT.
YEAH. GETTING IT TOGETHER IF YOU WANT TO DO A ONE.
OKAY I CAN DO THE SAME IN THE ROOM. YES I'D SAY TOTAL AND I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE DIFFERENCE IN THE QUESTIONS FOR MEREDITH.
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THANK YOU. SO YOU GOING TO COME GREAT INFORMATION INFORMATION GREAT I'M GONNA PASS THE MIC TO MR. KEVIN SURE I HAVE NOTHING PREPARED SO I WANT TO START WITH THAT JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE 1095 MAY RIVER ROAD PROJECT STAFF MET WITH STATE OF LLC YESTERDAY WITH THE ENGINEER THE ARCHITECT LAND PLANNER JUST TO KIND OF GO THROUGH OF THE INITIAL COMMENTS THAT WE HAD ON THE PLAN THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED FROM A CONCEPTUAL STANDPOINT WE HAVE IT SET AT 14 UNITS THAT WOULD BE TOWNHOMES, THREE BUILDINGS SO YOU HAVE TWO BUILDINGS THAT HAVE FIVE UNITS AND THEN ONE BUILDING THAT HAS FOUR UNITS SINCE IT'S STILL A CONCEPTUAL PLAN WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS GETTING THIS INTO AUTOCAD SO THAT WAY IT'S ACTUALLY LIKE ALMOST FULLY DESIGNED. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET PARKING, REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET.SO ALL OF THOSE FACTORS IN TO THE FINAL DESIGN WE ARE ON HAVING THIS COME TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA IN MARCH AND THEN FROM THERE WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE'LL KEEP YOU GUYS ABREAST YOU KNOW ONCE WE CAN HAVE THOSE CAD DRAWINGS IN PLACE AND START TO REALLY FIGURE OUT THE DESIGN WE'LL BRING BRING BACK TO YOU JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION OF IT BUT THIS IS MOVING FORWARD SO YOU KNOW I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND THAT AND AS SOON AS WE HAVE IT TO A POINT WE'LL BRING IT TO YOU AND THEN PROVIDE A PRESENTATION WITH QUESTIONS FOR KIM.
COLONEL, I'M LOOKING FOR MY NOTES IN THE MINUTES AND A FEW QUESTIONS WE HAD WAS ALL JUST THIS TIMELINE WAS ONE OKAY WHAT WAS THE ONE WHERE THEY WERE HERE? OKAY I'LL WORK ON GETTING THAT I KNOW THAT AGAIN UNTIL WE CAN GET THEM THIS WAS GETTING THEM SOME INITIAL COMMENTS IN THERE AND I'LL DEFINITELY WORK ON TRYING TO TIE THEM DOWN WITH IT WITH WITH A NOT VERY IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PRECISE OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THINGS FLUCTUATE BUT WE CAN GIVE YOU A BETTER TIMELINE. THE OTHER THING THINK WAS THE CONVERSATION ABOUT KEEPING IT AFFORDABLE. YES, I WAS CONCERNED ME THAT ITEMS CAN ACTUALLY GO IN FRONT OF TOWN COUNCIL I BELIEVE IT'S ON EXECUTIVE SESSION SO DON'T WANT TO TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT THIS AT THIS MOMENT JUST BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED WITH TOWN COUNCIL FIRST AND THEN WE'LL BE TO FOLLOW UP FROM THERE. SO THANK YOU KEVIN .
WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE CAD DRAWINGS IS SORT OF TALKING SITE DRAWINGS.
YES, SIR. YOU'RE BUILDING NOT THE INTERIOR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YES, SIR. REFERRING TO LAND DEVELOPMENT. SO THAT'S YOUR YOUR HORIZONTAL DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S INFRASTRUCTURE GETTING PUT INTO PLACE YOUR NOT NECESSARILY VERTICAL OF THE ACTUAL DESIGN OF THE BUILDING ANY OF THE QUESTIONS CAN IT'S EXCITING WE'RE MOVING IT FORWARD SO THAT YOU CAN HANDLE IT AGAIN.
90 MINUTES IN AND WE'RE DONE WITH ZONING. I DO WANT TO ONE LAST THING FOR YOU TO KNOW SO MYSELF AND VICKI WORKS THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA ON MONDAY.
I'VE BEEN IN IN COLUMBIA AND PRESENTED FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AND WE FOUND OUT ON TUESDAY THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY WON ONE OF THE AWARDS.
SO IT IS LIKE DID A WONDERFUL JOB UP THERE SO THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE AN OFFICIAL I THINK IT'S NOT UNTIL ABOUT JULY BUT WHAT WE FOUND OUT THERE WERE A TOTAL OF SEVEN APPLICANTS GOING FOR THE AWARD AND THEY CALLED PRETTY QUICKLY ON TUESDAY MORNING TO LET US KNOW THAT WE
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WON. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF THAT IS THIS BOARD AS WELL AS TOWN COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. AND WE TALKED ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND HOW IT IS BENEFICIAL TO THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE JUST DOING A GREAT JOB WITH IT SO YOU GUYS ARE A PART OF THAT SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. YOU CONGRATULATIONS. THANKS THOUGH.
SO THAT ENDS OUR MEETING AGAIN LIKE KEVIN SAID THANK YOU GUYS FOR PUTTING THIS PROGRAM INTO PLACE AND SO QUITE A FEW PEOPLE SO WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU MUST CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT MAKE IT EVEN BETTER I WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK I MEAN I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THANK YOU AND HELLO HONORABLE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AGAIN MY NAME IS SHANNON GREEN.
I AM AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON. THIS IS NOW MY THIRD MEETING ATTENDING WITH ALL OF YOU. WELL, KEVIN HELLO CHARLOTTE. OUR OH THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING INFORMATION SOUTH STATE BANK PROVIDED AND I'M HERE TO JUST GIVE YOU AN UPDATE BOTH ON MY PERSONAL JOURNEY AND TRYING TO FIND HOUSING HERE IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND TO JUST GIVE YOU A CONTINUE AN EYE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SHORT 60 DAYS IT'S BEEN 60 DAYS SINCE MY FIRST MEETING WITH YOU ON JANUARY SECOND AND TODAY AS YOU MAY REMEMBER I AM ATTEMPTING TO GET APARTMENT AT THE BLUESTONE COMMUNITY WHICH IS JUST ABOUT A MILE FROM HERE ON BLUFFTON PARKWAY AT THE TIME I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION ON JANUARY 2ND THE COST OF THAT APARTMENT RENTAL RATE WAS 1500 DOLLARS COMPLETELY AFFORDABLE AND I WAS READY TO JUMP ON IT.
I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION AND PAID MY FEES BY JANUARY 19TH HAD TO WAIT FOR PAYDAY AND AT THAT TIME THE COST OF THAT APARTMENT HAD JUMPED TO 1525 MOSTLY IN MY BUDGET.
I THEN TOOK A TOUR, A PERSONAL TOUR, MET WITH THE PROPERTY LEASING AGENT AND ON THE 20TH JUST A DAY AFTER I PAID MY FEES AND THE APARTMENT WAS THEN ALREADY 1600 WHICH AT THAT TIME I THEN NO LONGER MY INCOME NO LONGER QUALIFIED ME FOR THE KIND AGENT SAID THAT THEY USE A SPECIAL CALCULATION TO DETERMINE YOUR INCOME IS SUPPOSED TO BE THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF THE MONTHLY THEY I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SPECIAL CALCULATION IS BUT SHE SAID I WAS CLOSER THAN WHAT THE TRUE CALCULATION IS IF YOU DO IT COUNTING YOU KNOW I'M AN ACCOUNTANT SO SO SO I STILL HAD NO HOPE AND THIS WAS ON JANUARY 19TH I'M SORRY JANUARY 20TH ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER SHE SAID SHE NEEDED BECAUSE I WAS NOT NEEDING AN APARTMENT UNTIL APRIL 1ST SO I WAS BEING PROACTIVE ON FEBRUARY SECOND I DID A FOLLOW UP VISIT WITH THE SAME LEASING AGENT AND AT THAT TIME THE RENT HAD JUMPED TO 1631 SO IT'S NOW $131 MORE THAN WHEN IT ORIGINALLY STARTED OUT JUST A SHORT MONTH PRIOR SHE STILL SAID THAT I WAS FIRST ON THE LIST FOR A UNIT WOULD OPEN UP ON OR AROUND APRIL 1ST I TRUSTED THAT AND THEN MAKING PLANS TO COUNT THAT SHE 17 A WEEK LATER I CHECKED ONLINE THE COST OF THAT SAME HAD JUMPED NOW TO A TEEN 51 IT'S A $230 JUMP IN A MATTER OF A WEEK AND THEN I WAS IN SHOCK AND I STARTED CHECKING ONLINE REGULARLY AND IT SEEMS THAT THE BLUESTONE HAS DEVELOPED SOME TYPE OF ALGORITHM TO CHANGE THEIR RENTAL RATES ON A DAILY BASIS ON WHAT THE WHAT THE DEMAND SUPPLY AND DEMAND FACTORS WILL ALLOW AND SET IT AT THE HIGHEST AMOUNT POSSIBLE.
SO FOUR DAYS AFTER THAT THE INCREDIBLE RATE OF 1821 APPEARED.
FOUR DAYS LATER IT WAS 1851 AND TWO DAYS AFTER THAT 1950 DAYS AFTER 1994 THREE DAYS AFTER
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THAT 1990 THEY ADJUSTED FOR DOLLARS AND AS OF TODAY THAT APARTMENT TWO MONTHS AGO THAT I WAS LOOKING AT AND HOPING FOR IS NOW $2,010. SORRY.AND IT'S JUST KIND OF RIDICULOUS AND WE COMPARE THAT TO OTHER APARTMENT COMMUNITIES IN BLUFFTON KIND OF THE SAME THINGS GOING ON I HAVEN'T HAD THE EAGLE EYE THAT I'VE HAD ON THE BLUESTONE BUT JUST TO A 4% INCREASE IN 60 DAYS IS JUST IT'S OUT OF CONTROL AND IT'S VERY DISCOURAGING AND I JUST I FEEL I FEEL BOTH POWERFUL IN THAT I HAVE A VOICE HERE BUT I FEEL COMPLETELY POWERLESS IN FINDING A PLACE TO CALL HOME WHERE I WORK AND WHERE I LOVE BEING. SO I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU I THINK WE ALL REMEMBER I'VE RECENTLY RELOCATED FROM CALIFORNIA I AM A NATIVE SOUTH CAROLINIAN AND I'VE COME HOME TO JUST TO SAY BUT LIVING IN NORTHERN WHERE I LEFT I EXPERIENCED THE HORRIBLE WILDFIRES THAT BEGAN IN 2017 AND A OF THAT MY COMMUNITY SEBASTOPOL IT'S IN THE COUNTY OF SONOMA WHICH IS NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO THEY ESTABLISHED A RENT MORATORIUM BECAUSE THEY COULD SEE THAT THE DISPLACEMENT CAUSED BY THE FIRST BAD FIRE THE TUBBS FIRE IN 2017 WAS GOING TO CREATE A GREAT HOUSING NEED AND I, I BELIEVE THEY SET A 10% CAP ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS. SO THE INCREASE THAT THEY GAVE TO NEW OR EXISTING RENTERS COULD NOT EXCEED THAT 10% OR THEY WOULD BE IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED PRICE GOUGING AND THEY'D BE HELD TO TASK. WELL, UNFORTUNATELY THE FIRES CONTINUED AND THEN OF COURSE COVID CAME ALONG FOUR YEARS LATER AND THAT TOO IN AND OF ITSELF BECAUSE OF LOSS OF INCOME FROM COMPANIES EVEN THEY'RE HAVING TO CLOSE EARLY LAYOFFS THAT MORATORIUMS IN THE TOWN OF SEBASTOPOL AND I BELIEVE IT ALSO EXISTED COUNTYWIDE FOR SONOMA COUNTY AND THAT ENABLED A SOFTENING OR A STABILIZING OF RENT PRICES AND THAT ALLOWED PEOPLE WHO DID EXPERIENCE A DISRUPTION IN LIFE OF EITHER LOSING THEIR HOMES FROM THE FIRE OR LOSING INCOME FROM THE CONSUMPTION OF IT AND IT IT IT KEPT IN CHECK AND THIS IS IN A HIGH COST OF LIVING AREA CALIFORNIA IS NOTORIOUS FOR ITS HIGH COST OF LIVING AND I JUST AND JUST MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF WITNESSING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN JUST SUCH A SHORT TIME RIGHT HERE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL TOWN OF BLUFFTON I JUST FEEL LIKE THEY'RE RUNNING AMOK.
THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION OF THE HIGH DESIRABILITY OF HERE MAYBE SOME OVERFLOW OF OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE EAST HILTON HEAD I KNOW HILTON HEAD IS HAVING ITS OWN ISSUE WORK WORK ON HILTON HEAD ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE ON HILTON HEAD DUE TO MAYBE SOME OF THE SAME REASONS THAT I'M SURE YOU ALL OF YOU SO I DON'T HAVE I'M A SPEAKER I'M VERY EMOTIONAL BIRDS AND IN PERSON BUT I JUST WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JUST TO HEAR MY EXPERIENCE AND KNOW THAT IT'S THAT IT'S HAPPENING TO OTHERS AND AND OH I OVERHEARD OVERHEARD I OVERHEARD AT A RESTAURANT TWO MEN WERE SPEAKING ABOUT THEIR WORK OR SOMETHING AND I WROTE DOWN AND THE ONE SAID WELL WELL WHAT ABOUT I THINK THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WHERE YOU COULD WHERE YOU COULD LIVE BY WORKING IN THE COUNTY OF COUNTY AND
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THE ONE MAN ASKED THE OTHER WELL WHAT ABOUT BLUFFTON? AND HE GOES WELL, YOU KNOW, BOSTON IS UNAFFORDABLE AND THAT WAS JUST THAT WAS THE LITTLE SNIPPET I HEARD AND JUST IT WAS KIND OF SAD TO HEAR BECAUSE HERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT DOING BUSINESS AND BEING PROVIDING SERVICES AND THEY TOO WERE ALREADY THEY COULD SEE THAT THEY COULD NOT AFFORD TO LIVE. SO YOU KNOW, I ASKED YOU A QUESTION OF COURSE WHAT DO YOU NEED A ONE BEDROOM, TWO BEDROOM, THREE BEDROOM? WHAT DO YOU NEED I HAVE A SIMPLE NEEDS. I'M A SINGLE PERSON. I NEED A ONE BEDROOM.THAT'S WHAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW. I AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR? THAT'S WHAT IT IS. THAT'S FOR A ONE BEDROOM? YES, A ONE BEDROOM.
NOT AS YOU KNOW, IRONICALLY SORRY. EXCUSE ME.
THE THE BLUE STONE AT THE TIME THAT I WAS SEEKING THIS OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY AND BECAUSE OF ON SUPPLY AND DEMAND HAPPENING RIGHT NOW THEIR ONE BEDROOMS WERE MORE IN DEMAND 60 DAYS AGO THAN THEIR TWO BEDROOM. SO THE TWO BEDROOM UNIT THAT WAS PRICED TO ME AT 1500 AND IS THE IS ONLINE NOW AT 2010 IS A TWO BEDROOM RIGHT AND STILL SURPRISE IT'S THEY'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH THE ONE BEDROOMS ARE SOMETIMES HIGHER THAN THE TWO BEDROOMS THE TWO IT'S IT'S CHANGING DAILY THEY DEFINITELY HAVE SOME TYPE OF ALGORITHM GOING ON AND HOW HIGH THEY CAN PRICE EACH SO THAT THE BLUE STONE ACTUALLY FOR WAS GOING TO BE A TWO BEDROOM BUT ALL I NEED IS A ONE BEDROOM THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR AND MEANING ARE YOU DOING THIS YOURSELF YOU'RE JUST GOING OUT OR DO YOU HAVE A REALTOR YOU'RE WORKING WITH OR RENTALS I'M BAREBONES THIS IS I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE A SIMPLE TASK WHEN I STARTED OUT AND NOW IT'S BECOME VERY IT'S NOT OVERWHELMING BUT IT'S IT'S REALLY OPENED MY EYES AND I'M JUST WANTING TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH OF YOU SO THAT YOU CAN GET A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT . WELL, IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO SHARE AND I WOULD VOLUNTEER TO HELP YOU DO THIS AS A MATTER OF FACT, SINCE YOU WERE HERE LAST MONTH YES.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERY DAY FOR YOU A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT WITHIN YOUR RANGE AND I HAVEN'T SEEN IT ADVOCATE PERSONALLY I YOU KNOW PRIVATELY THAT I LOOK AT SOME OF THE AND FILMS THAT YOU HAD TO DO ABOUT IT AND BEFORE YOU CAME RIGHT BY IS THAT JUST IS THAT ACCEPTABLE SIR? YEAH. OKAY BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU. I APPRECIATE I HAD TO BRANCH OUT.
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD REACHED OUT TO TRY TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO FIND ANYTHING THAT'S AVAILABLE AND I'M AN ON A MISSION I'M A TENACIOUS PERSON SO RIGHT.
I TODAY TODAY I WASN'T EVEN REALLY GOING TO COME TODAY BECAUSE REALLY HAD RESIGNED MYSELF THAT I WILL JUST HAVE TO STAY IN THE UNIT THAT I'M IN NOW IN HARDY VILLE WHICH IS NOT IDEAL AND TAKE WHATEVER 5% OR WHATEVER THEY HAVE EVEN QUOTED ME I NEW LEASE AMOUNT JUST TAKE IT ON THE CHIN AND ANOTHER YEAR WHILE I REGREW IT BUT AT THE RATE THE RATES ARE RISING IN THE LAST DAYS I HATE TO THINK WHAT RENTS ARE GOING TO BE A YEAR FROM NOW IF GOES UNCHECKED AND I'M I NOTICED SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SCREEN IS YOUR STORY IN YOUR REPORTS THE REASON WHY THERE'S COMEDY IS IMPORTANT. YES.
SO PLEASE DON'T FEEL LIKE TALK TO DEAF EARS AND I DON'T FEEL WAY AT ALL AND WE NEED WE NEED THIS TYPE OF TESTIMONY TO HELP NOT ONLY THIS COMMITTEE BUT REALLY AWARE.
YES. SO THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU. YEAH.
I FEEL JUST AS BIG THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP. I KNOW YOU'RE HAVING BUSY MORNING. YEAH. YOU SHOWING UP? I WAS AT THE ECONOMIC FORECAST AND THIS IS ALL VERY INTERESTING UNFORTUNATELY THE THE FORECAST FOR RATES IS PROJECTED TO CONTINUE KIND OF WHERE THEY ARE MAYBE NOT TO GO UP NOT NECESSARILY TO GO DOWN EITHER. IF YOU WANT TO SHARE ANYTHING
[00:35:06]
ABOUT GAAP SO I'M UNABLE TO KIND OF GET INTO SO YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD THE THERE WAS THIS WHOLE IMPACT PHASE AND THEN THE SERIES OF OTHER IMPACT PHASE SCHEDULES THAT WERE BEING UPDATED AND OUR ASSOCIATION I REPRESENT DOESN'T TAKE ISSUE WITH THE FEE SCHEDULES BUT ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES I'VE BEEN CHARGED WITH SIGNING A NEW IGA WITH THE COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT THESE FEES ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY AND ALL BY HILTON HEAD HAVE LOCKED IN TO MY KNOWLEDGE STILL HAVE NOT. AT LAST MONTH'S COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL SAID I'M SO EXCITED ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE SIGNED AND I SAID BUT SO I KNOW STEPHENS JAMES AND ALSO MARK ORLANDO AND KNOW THAT THESE DISCUSSIONS STILL BEING HAD ON THE LOCAL LEVEL AND LEGAL TEAMS ARE DISCUSSING SO SIMPLY CHALLENGE COUNTY COUNCIL TO CONFIRM A STAFF THAT ALL OF THEM MUNICIPALITIES HAVE IN FACT AND IF IT IS THE CASE THAT BLUFFTON AND HILTON THAT HAVEN'T IT'S ONLY A THIRD READING FOR COUNTY COUNCIL, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AGAIN NOT CHALLENGING THE FEE SCHEDULES WHAT MORE SO THE PROCESS WE DON'T KNOW WHO IS GOING TO EVALUATE AND DETERMINE THE FEES AND THEN WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PAY I JUST FORESEE THAT PROLONGING THE PERMANENT PROCESS AND MAKING THAT MORE CHALLENGING SO THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET BACK WITH ME ON THAT AND I'M SURE THAT COUNCIL HERE WILL BE DISCUSSING THAT MORE OR LESS WITH TOWN LEADERSHIP BUT I THINK AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING TOO THAT BOTH BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD DON'T INTEND TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT AT THE ANYBODY'S BEHALF WHICH IS THEN PUTTING THE BALL BACK IN THE COUNTY'S COURT TO TO HANDLE THAT AND TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HANDLE THAT INFLUX OF OF PEOPLE NEEDING TO HAVE THEIR PERMITS CALCULATED AND THEN PAID. BUT WHAT WOULD OR WHAT THE IDEA PROPOSAL IS CONFLICT WITH EACH NO CONFLICT REALLY JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT LIKE WHAT ARE WHAT IS THE PROCESS LIKE? I DON'T THINK THE COUNTY HAS A PLAN IN PLACE IF BLUFFTON AND NOT LET'S SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE COLLECTING IT. YEAH SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND BEFORE COUNCIL GOES AND APPROVES IT WITHOUT KNOWING THAT WAS KIND OF THE REASONING FOR IT BRINGING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION AND THEN JURY ON MONDAY DO THEY CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LAND THAT THEY PURCHASE ON WALTER THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS THAT NEWT WAS DID YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT I KNEW SOME OF BUT IN RIGHT BY THE CHURCH ACROSS FROM PUBLIX AND KROGER GOOD SPOT BUT JUST I DON'T I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING THEN AND I WANT TO GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO IT SOON BUT BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY MONEY THAT MIGHT HELP THAT WE MIGHT NEED DO THEN TO SUPPORT IT OR IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN SHARE WITH US THAT GAVE US I GUESS SOME SUPPORT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE BE IN LOVE AND RIGHT SIDE OF TOWN BUT TO SAY WHAT THINGS ANY OTHER POSSIBILITIES IN THE SO YOU STILL WANT TO BE SURE OKAY ALL RIGHT THANKS FOR BEING WITH I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE A GREAT ASSET TO US AND THE TITLE LEADER THAT LIKE HE COME AND LISTEN AND LEARN IN I KNOW HE HAD A LOT OF WITH HE HAD LUNCHES THAT I JUST WANT TO LAND FIRST AND AND I THINK HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB THAT HE'S GATHERED A LOT OF INFORMATION AND TRYING TO LEARN FAST SO IF ANY OF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME OF YOUR EXPERIENCES FROM HIM THAT WE HAVE WITH THE IT OKAY AND I THINK ALREADY MET WITH KEVIN RIGHT I MEAN WE'VE BEEN MEETING MAINLY HE'S BEEN WITH US. ALL RIGHT VERY GOOD. THANK YOU MAN.VERY GOOD MEETING THE INFORMATION THAT'S ALL I HAVE IT NO ONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING I WILL HAVE CHAIRMAN ATTORNEYS AND WE ARE SET FOR THE LUNCH AND HAVING A FULL SEVEN HERE TODAY MEETING IS ADJOURNED RIGHT THANK YOU MUCH YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.