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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. Call to Order]
EVERYBODY TO TODAY'S FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.IT MUST BE THE NEW YEAR BECAUSE Y'ALL HADN'T SEEN EACH OTHER IN A WHILE.
A LOT OF CHATTER GOING OUT THERE, BUT HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY.
[2. Adoption of the Agenda]
AGENDA HAS BEEN PRODUCED WELL IN ADVANCE OF A MOTION.ALL IN FAVOR? UH, THE MINUTES FROM
[3. Approval of the Minutes]
OUR DECEMBER 19TH, 2023 MEETING.[4. Appearance by Citizens]
NEXT WE HAVE APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS.IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE COMMITTEE, UH, TODAY AND THAT HAS SIGNED UP, I WOULD OFFER THAT IF YOUR COMMENTS ARE RELATED TO AN AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THEN, WE WILL HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME FOR YOU TO SPEAK AT THAT POINT.
SO WE'LL START WITH THOSE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL THE AGENDA ITEM, WE'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO.
ANYONE SIGNED UP? KIM LEE LUCIER, UH, MEET LUCIER HILTON HEAD RESIDENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TO SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS LEE LUCIA, CEO, THE RITZ GROUP, AND LONGTIME HILTON HEAD ISLAND RESIDENT.
WE HAVE RAISED OUR THREE KIDS HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
WE LOVE THAT WE CALL HILTON HEAD OUR HOME.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FIRST THAT I RESPECT EVERYONE'S OPINION IN THE ROOM.
A PASSIONATE, INVOLVED COMMUNITY IS INVALUABLE AND THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT ISLANDER HOUSING INVENTORY IS A KEY ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH THIS, TODAY IS THE TIME FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO LEAD TO DRIVE COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER OF HOUSING OPTIONS.
AND NOT ALL HOUSING WILL BE FIXED UPON ITSELF.
OUR COMPANY HAS RECENTLY BUILT HOUSING DORMS, APARTMENTS, STUDIOS, AND LARGE SCALE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
AND EACH TIME WE'VE BEEN MET WITH SUPPORT AND DETRACTORS FOR EACH PROJECT BEFORE AND AFTER ITS COMPLETION.
YES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS PROJECT AND ANY OTHER PROJECT THAT SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY'S INVENTORY AND THE WORKFORCE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR IS TO MAKE GREAT DECISIONS, IS SOMETIMES VERY TOUGH DECISIONS.
YOUR CHOICE TO BE ACTIVE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I ASSUME WAS NOT LIGHTLY TAKEN OR ILL PLANNED.
AS THIS IS A COMMITMENT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE A BRAVE LEADER IN YOUR CHOICE OF ACCEPT THIS GOVERNMENTAL ROLE.
TODAY'S THE DAY TO HAVE YOUR COURAGE AND CONVICTION SHINE LEADING US TO POSSIBLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
THEREFORE, I'M HERE TO SAY I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE TOWN ENTERING INTO MOUS WITH BOTH CCDC AND HABITAT AND FUNDING THEM TO ADD WORKFORCE HOUSING PUZZLE.
A VERY COMPLEX PUZZLE THAT WILL NOT BE SOLVED TODAY, TOMORROW MORE THAN THIS YEAR.
THE CCD PLAN IS THE ONLY PROPOSAL THAT DOESN'T ADD ANY NEW BUILT SPACE OR VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION TO OUR ISLANDS.
NOT ONE ADDITIONAL NEW SQUARE FOOT OF UNDER ROOF CONSTRUCTION.
HABITAT HUMANITY IS A PROVEN MODEL FOR HOME OWNERSHIP ON THE ISLANDS IN THE LOW COUNTRY AND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
THESE TWO PARTNERSHIP PROPOSALS IN CONJUNCTION WITH LONGER TERM PARTNERSHIPS LIKE NORTH POINT AND PRIVATE DEVELOPER INITIATIVES ARE ALL NEEDED TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGE TO OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING PROBLEM AND HOPEFULLY SOLUTION.
I URGE YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF BOTH MOUS TODAY AND RECOMMEND FUNDING FOR BOTH CCDC AND HABITAT FREE MANNY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
DID HE WAIT? MELINDA TONNER? I'LL WAIT.
ANY OTHERS WANT TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON ANY OTHER TOPIC? YES, SIR.
I'M JOHNS MARLEY FROM HILTON HEAD PLANTATION.
IN OCTOBER, 2022 TOWN, TOWN STAFF CONVENED
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A TWO-DAY HOUSING CHARETTE WITH THE PURPOSE OF SHARING AND REFINING LOCAL HOUSING TRENDS, TEST AND REFINED STATEMENTS THAT LED TO A HOUSING FRAMEWORK.THIS WAS THE RESULT OF YEARS CONCERNED NEEDS OF OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE.
MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED HERE, UH, ARE HERE TODAY.
MANY OF THESE FOLKS CHAMPIONED THE NOVEMBER, 2022 WORKFORCE HOUSING FRAMEWORK.
MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS COMMITTEE AGREED THAT THE FOUR PILLARS, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT, AND FINDING A REVENUE SOURCE FINALLY GAVE TEETH TO SOLVING THIS LONGTIME ISSUE.
AS PART OF INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY TOWN COUNCIL CREATED THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE.
THE DEFINED ROLE OF THE HAC IS TO, NUMBER ONE, ADVISE AND RECOMMEND TO THE TOWN VARIOUS WORKFORCE HOUSING STRATEGIES FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION, ADOPTION, AND IMPLEMENTATION.
NUMBER TWO, REVIEW ALL OF THE TOWN HOUSING PLANS AND POTENTIAL PLANS THAT MAY BE CREATED OR ADOPTED TO ADDRESS THE TOWN'S WORKFORCE HOUSING NEEDS, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
NUMBER THREE, ASSIST THE TOWN IN DETERMINING REV RELEVANT HOUSING POLICIES THAT WILL ACCOMPLISH IDENTIFIED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
KNOWING THAT TOWN COUNCIL AND STAFF TO REALLY BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING, THAT THE FOLLOWING THESE PILLARS CAN DEVELOP A LOCAL MEANINGFUL WORKFORCE HOUSING PLAN, KNOWING THAT TOWN COUNCIL ADDED HUMAN RESOURCES REVENUE STREAMS, AND PRIORITIZE THE WORKFORCE HOUSING ISSUE.
KNOWING THAT TOWN COUNCIL HAS ASKED COUNTLESS CITIZENS TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME THROUGH THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE AND VARIOUS WORKSHOPS, WHY IS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE USURPING THE ENTIRE PROCESS? YOU'RE TAKING UP MOUS WITHOUT ALLOWING THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS YOU INITIATED THROUGH THE WORKFORCE HOUSING FRAMEWORK.
RAMMING GRANT REQUESTS THROUGH WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE PROCESS SHOWS A LACK OF GOVERNMENTAL TRANSPARENCY IN MAKING ZERO SENSE.
ONE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS BELIEVES INCOME UP TO $150,000 A YEAR COULD QUALIFY FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
IS THAT WHAT WORKFORCE? IS THAT THE WORKFORCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT? ASK YOURSELF WHY SOME OF THE LOCAL LOBBYISTS IN THIS ROOM ARE ATTEMPTING TO SLIDE THESE REQUESTS THROUGH BEFORE THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE EVEN GETS GOING.
I ASK THAT YOU DENY APPROVAL OF THE MOUS AND AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATIONS AND SEND THEM TO THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW.
LET'S FOLLOW THE PROCESS COUNCIL ADOPTED AND LET'S STOP THIS FILING.
GOOD OLD BOY NETWORK ONCE AND FOR ALL.
I LIVE IN HILTON HEAD PLANTATION.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS A COMMUTER ISLAND, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
15,000 WORKERS COME HERE EVERY MORNING AND 10,000 ALSO LEAVE HERE TO WORK ELSEWHERE.
EVERY AM THE ISLAND IS 80% BUILT OUT AND CANON AND CAN IN NO WAY POSSIBLY ACCOMMODATE ABODE FOR, FOR 15,000 WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES POPULATION GROWTH IS MINUSCULE.
SO WHAT'S THE GOAL HERE? A POLITICAL TALKING POINT OF PROVIDING 13 HOMES FOR 99 YEARS ON THE RENTAL MARKET, ALL THE WHILE SPENDING 600,000 AS AN INITIAL INVESTMENT TO HAVE THIS POLITICAL TOKEN BONE, IN MY OPINION, THROWN TO US ALL THE WHILE DENYING WORKERS WHO CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD TO BUY THESE 13 HOMES, THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
I VIEW THIS AS A ENDEAVOR OF UNPROVEN AND EXPERIMENTAL, WHICH BENEFITS A FEW WHILE DENYING THE WHOLE HOME OWNERSHIP.
HOW FEASIBLE AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE IS THIS IDEA FOR HILTON HEAD.
THERE ARE MANY COSTS AND OUTCOMES THAT ARE UNKNOWN, SUCH AS OVERSIGHT AND MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING WHAT HALF A BILLION COMMITMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT COSTS OVER THE NEXT 99 YEARS.
THIS IDEA LACKS LOGISTICS AND THE COMMON SENSE APPLICATION FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND WHEN BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS A VAST AREA FOR ALL RENTALS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, GENTLEMEN AND BACK.
UH, CHARLES CON AND, UH, TED WEXFORD.
I'M A RELATIVELY NEW RESIDENT TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
BEEN COMING HERE FOR ABOUT A DECADE.
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GET MY ARMS KIND OF WRAPPED AROUND WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AROUND HERE.AND, UH, I JUST LEAVE WITH SOME BASIC COMMENTS AND HOW I SEE IT.
I DON'T THINK GOVERNMENT HAS ANY PLACE IN PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS IN TERMS OF WHO'S ALLOWED TO LIVE HERE AND WHO ISN'T ALLOWED TO, TO LIVE HERE.
UM, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT A MI AND WHO QUALIFIES THIS AND WHO QUALIFIES FOR THAT, ALL I'M SEEING IS A MUCH EXPANDED AND LARGER GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR BIGGER FOOTPRINT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS A SECOND GENERATION IMMIGRANT, UH, I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO, YOU KNOW, RAISE A FAMILY, BUY A HOME, AND UH, A LOT OF TIMES WE ALL LIVE TOGETHER AND IN A COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT WITHIN OUR OWN FAMILY.
AND SO FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND START OFFERING MONEY TO, TO FOLKS THAT QUITE FRANKLY HAVEN'T EARNED IT YET.
UM, 'CAUSE I EARNED CERTAINLY EARNED MY WAY UP AND I'M SURE SURE THERE'S MANY OTHER PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE QUITE LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN WHEN YOU START, YOU KNOW, OFFERING PEOPLE MONEY FOR VARIOUS, UH, PORTIONS OF HOUSING, WHO DECIDES WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, IS THE REFRIGERATOR IN THIS PLACE BETTER THAN THE ONE I GOT OVER HERE? THIS IS A MASSIVE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN THAT QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S PREPARED TO TAKE ON.
AND THOSE ARE JUST VERY MINOR ISSUES.
AND, AND, AND HAVING COME FROM THE NORTHEAST, I HAVE SEEN WHAT QUOTE UNQUOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING LOOKS LIKE IN A LOT OF CASES.
YOU MAY HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING NEAR REAR ENDOF WHEN THEY'RE SMALL BUSINESSES TRYING TO GET OUT, BUT THEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE IN THERE WHO IS ABUSING THE SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE DEALING DRUGS, WHETHER THERE'S A CRIME ELEMENT IN THERE, WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN ONE RESULT IN AN INCREASED REQUIREMENT FOR POLICE PRESENCE.
IT, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T SEE THIS AS, AS BEING GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
MOST OF THE BUSINESSES HERE ARE BASED UPON, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, RENTAL PROPERTIES.
YOU'VE GOT HOTELS AND SO FORTH.
THESE ARE TRANSIENT TYPE JOBS, OKAY? NOBODY EVER EXPECTED SOMEBODY WHO SAY MIGHT WORK AS A, AS A BARTENDER OR CLEANING TABLES IS TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME.
WE ALL HAD STARTER JOBS AND THAT'S KINDA THE WAY IT'S, SO AS THE WOMAN HAD JUST SAID IT CAME UP, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE FOLKS ARE COMMUTING AND THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY IT'S, UH, AND I'M CERTAINLY, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE LOOKING AT MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE LONG-TERM RENTALS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS TO DEVELOP, UM, A HOUSING THAT FOLKS LIKE THAT COULD LIVE IN AND THEN, AND LET THEM DETERMINE IT.
BUT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE GOVERNMENT, UM, WHEN YOU GUYS ARE ALL GONE OR THE NEXT GROUP'S GONE FOUR YEARS AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, WHO DECIDES HOW MUCH MORE IS GOING TO GO IN AND THIS MAY BECOME A VERY UNSUSTAINABLE REVENUE STREAM, THAT IT BECOMES A BURDEN ON THE LOCAL TAXPAYER.
I JUST WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, PLEASE VOTE NO TO THE MOU BETWEEN THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND THE CCDC.
I AM NOT AGAINST WORKFORCE HOUSING.
I AM AGAINST THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE AND THE TOWN COUNCIL JUST SAYING YES TO THE CCDC BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT APPEAR, DON'T WANT THE APPEARANCE OF NOT DOING ANYTHING.
WE MUST REMEMBER THE CCDC REQUEST OF 600,000 WILL NOT BE A ONE-TIME ASK.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR A YEARLY CONTRIBUTION.
ALSO, THE CCDC IS ASKING FOR THE TOWN TO PROVIDE SUPPORT STAFF, WHICH MEANS MORE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING USED.
THERE ARE SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CCBC PROPOSAL.
ONE QUESTION IS WHY THE DISCREPANCY IN THE A MI SCALE HAVE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY A MI AT 30 TO 80% AND THE C-C-B-C-A-M-I IS 30 TO 120% WITH ONLY 25% OF THEIR UNITS AT 30% A MI.
HOW MANY LOW INCOME FAMILIES DOES THIS REALLY HELP? AS I HAVE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST, I BELIEVE THE NATIONAL WORKFORCE HOUSING ISSUE CANNOT BE SOLVED WITH ONE APPROACH.
AND WE CERTAINLY KNOW WE CANNOT BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF THIS HOUSING SHORTAGE ON THE ISLAND.
I URGE YOU TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND OUR COMMUNITY TO START WORKING ON ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS FOR WORKERS COMING ONTO AND OFF OF THE ISLAND SOLUTIONS THAT COULD START HELPING RIGHT NOW, NOT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.
AT THE OCTOBER 17TH TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, CBB TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS GAVE A PRESENTATION THAT INDICATED JUST WIDENING THE BRIDGE WAS NOT GONNA SOLVE OUR TRAFFIC ISSUES.
THEY ALSO SAID TWICE SAID, SINCE WE ALREADY HAD THE TROLLEY SYSTEM AND THE BREEZE SYSTEM IN PLACE, WE NEEDED TO EXPAND THEIR SCHEDULES AND STOPS.
THEN WORK WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ADVERTISERS TO GET THE WORD OUT AND ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES, CITIZENS, AND VISITORS TO UTILIZE THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES COMING ONTO THE ISLAND AS WELL AS BEING USED AROUND THE ISLAND.
LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE.
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UNITS WILL NOT SOLVE OUR LOW INCOME HOUSING SHORTAGE.ACTUALLY WITH THE CCDC, REMOVING THE FEW MODERATELY PRICED HOUSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE ISLAND, IT MEANS LESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES TO BUY A HOME.
JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE WORKS ON THE ISLAND DOESN'T MEAN THEY WANT TO LIVE ON THE ISLAND OR AUTOMATICALLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO RESIDE HERE.
COMMUTING TO WORK IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT.
I DID IT FOR YEARS, AS I'M SURE YOU AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE DONE AS WELL.
OUR ISLAND IS AT CAPACITY NOW.
LET'S USE OUR TAX DOLLARS IN A MORE MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL WAY.
AND IN MY OPINION, ONE WAY WOULD BE INCREASING OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR WORKERS, VIS VISITORS AND CITIZENS TO NAVIGATE AROUND OUR ISLAND.
ANYONE ELSE?
[5.a. Town of Hilton Head Island Fiscal Year 2024 Year to Date Update - Jeff Herriman, Interim Director of Finance]
WE'LL HAVE MR. JEFF HARRIMAN TO GIVE US A VERY, VERY BRIEF FINANCIAL UPDATE AS WE JUST HEARD FROM HIM A FEW WEEKS AGO.UH, AGAIN, JEFF HERRIMAN, INTERIM FINANCE, UH, DIRECTOR.
AND, AND YES, IT WAS JUST A FEW, UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO AND SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE UH, BEEN FOCUSED ON OUR, UH, FY 23 AUDIT AND WE DO HAVE THAT COMPLETED.
SO, UM, GLAD TO, GLAD TO SAY THAT THE, UM, PARTNER WITH THE, UH, CPA FIRM WILL PRESENT THAT TO TOWN COUNCIL ON TUESDAY.
SO, UM, YES, I'LL JUST BRIEFLY GO THROUGH.
OOPS, I THOUGHT I BRIEFLY GO THROUGH.
UM, AS I SAID, UM, LAST MONTH, UM, WE'RE AT THE TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN, UH, REVENUE, UH, COLLECTIONS ARE TRADITIONALLY LOW.
MOST OF OUR REVENUE COMES IN DURING THE PERIOD DECEMBER THROUGH, UM, FEBRUARY FOR PROPERTY TAX AND THEN MARCH THROUGH JUNE FOR BUSINESS LICENSE.
SO WE ARE AT THAT PERIOD WHERE THE REVENUE, UM, IS, IS VERY LOW.
EXPENDITURES ARE INCURRED MORE EVENLY THROUGHOUT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SORRY, SORRY, MY THING IS A LITTLE SLOW TODAY.
UH, AS FAR AS THE, UH, THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES, THE TRANSFERS IN, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE FIVE MONTHS INTO THE YEAR, SO WE'RE 42% OF THE WAY THROUGH THE YEAR.
AND YOU CAN SEE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE REVENUE SUBTOTAL, UH, OUR BUDGET, WE'VE ONLY COLLECTED 21% OF OUR BUDGETED REVENUE, SO, OH, OKAY.
I WAS TRYING TO DO THAT THERE, SO, OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, FOR SOME REASON I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE, UH, THE KEYBOARD HERE, SO ANYWAY, I'LL, I'M GONNA BE
UH, HOW ABOUT I'LL JUST MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE BRIEFER THAN, UH, THAN, THAN I WAS GONNA MAKE IT.
SO I KNOW THE, THE ONE ISSUES THAT THAT CAME UP, THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP, TWO OR THREE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP AT THE LAST MEETING, AND THE ONE WAS, UH, COUNCILMAN AIMED, YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, AND THE, THE INFORMATION THAT WE GET FROM ALL THE, UM, HOTELS AND, UH, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES IS THE GROSS REVENUE.
WE DON'T GET THE DETAILS AS FAR AS NUMBER OF TOURISTS AND, UM, AND THE ROOM RATE.
HOWEVER, UM, WE WILL REACH OUT TO THE DMO AND, UM, GET THAT INFORMATION AND PRESENT THAT AT THE NEXT, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION THAT CAME UP LAST TIME WAS ON THE EXPENDITURES WAS FROM COUNCILMAN ALFRED AND IT WAS ABOUT THE, UH, TOWN COUNCIL, UH, EXPENDITURES.
AND THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE INCREASE FROM 23 TO 24 IS LEGAL FEES.
TWO, TWO, I GUESS TWO EXPLANATIONS FOR THAT.
ONE DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, LEGAL LAWSUITS OR LEGAL ACTIONS WE HAVE GOING ON.
AND THE SECOND THING IS THE, UH, STAFF ATTORNEY POSITION WITH THE TOWN IS, UM, VACANT.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN USING TWO CONTRACTING WITH TWO LAW FIRMS TO, UH, TO FILL IN FOR THAT LEGAL WORK.
AND THAT'S GETTING CHARGED TO, TO TOWN COUNCIL LEGAL FEES.
I'D, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE ELEMENTS OF WHAT THAT, OKAY.
UM, THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCILMAN UH, STANFORD HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH THE, UM, INVESTMENT SUMMARY.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA REPORT THAT THROUGH, AT THE END OF NOVEMBER 30TH, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 200, UM, MILLION INVESTED WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA LOCAL GO, THANK YOU, SOUTH CAROLINA LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOL, AND, UM, AND WITH WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT WE HAD, UM, 50 53 0.5 MILLION WITH A LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOL.
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THE INTEREST RATE IN NOVEMBER WAS ALMOST 5.7% WITH WELLS FARGO SECURITIES.WE HAVE 140, ALMOST 147 MILLION.
WE HAVE, UM, DIFFERENT MATURITIES ON THOSE DEPENDING WHETHER IT'S TREASURY BILLS, TREASURY NOTES, UM, AND THE RATES ON THOSE YOU CAN SEE IS 4% TO 5.4%.
AND THEN ON THE NEXT, THE LAST SLIDE HERE, WE'LL, UM, YEAR TO DATE FOR THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS YEAR, WE HAD COLLECTED INTEREST INCOME OF FOUR POINT, ALMOST 4.5 MILLION.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON OUR DECEMBER FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, BUT WE HAVE THE INTEREST INCOME FOR THROUGH DECEMBER, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY AT 5.5 MILLION THROUGH THE, UH, END OF DECEMBER.
THE HIGHEST WE'VE EVER COLLECTED IN THE TOWN BEFORE IS 5.8 MILLION, SO WE'RE VERY HAVING A VERY STRONG YEAR ON THAT.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO PRESENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? NO, THANK YOU JEFF.
ATTENTIVE TO OUR QUESTIONS FROM, UH, LAST PRESENTATION.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS CONSIDERATION
[6.a. Consideration of Approval of a Sponsorship Agreement with the Heritage Classic Foundation for the RBC Golf Tournament - Josh Deputy, Deputy Town Manager]
OF APPROVAL OF A SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION FOR THE RBC GOLF TOURNAMENT.THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AS INDICATED IN THE MATERIALS THAT ARE IN YOUR PACKET FOR THIS AFTERNOON, THIS IS A CONTINUING DISCUSSION REGARDING A REQUEST THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE TOWN, UH, BY THE HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION.
UH, THEY IN TURN PRESENT THE RBC GOLF TOURNAMENT EVERY YEAR, UH, AS INDICATED IN THE MATERIALS, THE REQUEST TO GET INCREASE IN THEIR SPONSORSHIP AMOUNT FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR BASED DIRECTLY IN PART ON THE INCREASED EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING A PREMIER AND SIGNATURE EVENT.
UM, TODAY WE DO HAVE MR. STEVE WILMONT WITH THE TOURNAMENT, UH, PRESENT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE MAY HAVE.
ULTIMATELY, COMING OUT OF TODAY'S MEETING, WE'RE SEEKING, UH, DIRECTION ON, UH, ANSWERING THIS QUESTION ABOUT WILL THE TOWN GO FORWARD WITH THE SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT, AND IF SO, IN WHAT VALUE? OKAY, THANK YOU MR. WILMAR.
UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, SEMI REGRESS FROM SIMON AND PRAISE FOR NOT BEING HERE.
HE HAD A SCHEDULED DENNIS WHEN WE GET A TOOTH PULLED, SO HE WOULD RATHER BE HERE TODAY.
BUT, UH, UM, IN ADVANCE OF, UH, ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, UM, TRULY THANK THE, THE EFFORTS, THE SUPPORT OF THIS COMMUNITY IN THIS TOWN OVER THE, THE COURSE OF MANY YEARS, AND CERTAINLY SINCE 2011.
AND, UH, UM, KNOWING WHERE WE ARE AND THE, THE DESIGNATION OF US BEING AWARDED THE DESIGNATION OF A SIGNATURE EVENT AND KNOWING WHERE WE WERE IN 2011 AND WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND KNOWING WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS A, A, A COMPLIMENT TO, UH, NOT JUST THE EFFORTS OF THE TOURNAMENT, BUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, AND ALSO, UH, THANK YOU IN, IN ADVANCE AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER MANY, MANY QUESTIONS AND THEN SOME.
MR. STANFORD, PLEASE, SIR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE TOURNAMENT.
COULD YOU CHARACTERIZE AGAIN FOR US THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE TOURNAMENT ON TOWNS, ON THE ECONOMY'S FINANCES? AB ABSOLUTELY.
EVER SINCE, UH, SINCE 1999, WE, UH, I'VE WORKED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, BUFORD, AND CLEMSON TO DO AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY, AND, UH, WE'LL BE DOING ANOTHER ONE THIS YEAR, BUT, UH, IT SHOWS IN AN EXCESS OF $102 MILLION TO THE, TO THIS COMMUNITY SINCE THE LAST ONE WE DID.
AND, UH, UH, IN ADDITION TO JUST THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, THERE'S, UH, UM, A 1500 PLUS JOBS, UH, SUPPORTED AS WELL AS WE DO KNOW THAT 90% OF THE PEOPLE THAT ATTEND, UH, DO COME BACK TO VISIT ANOTHER TIME OR TWO DURING THE COURSE OF THE, UH, THE YEAR.
I'M A GOLFER, SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT A SIGNATURE EVENT MEANS.
THAT'S A FAIRLY NEW CONCEPT, JUST ABOUT A YEAR OLD, MAYBE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
IF YOU COULD JUST CHARACTERIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SIGNATURE EVENT AND A REGULAR PGA EVENT.
YES, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A, A UNIQUE, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN A CONSIDERED INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT, WHICH WAS A STEP BELOW A FEW OF THE, UH, OTHER TIER OF THE TOURNAMENTS, BUT, UH, WE RECOGNIZED AS A DESIGNATED EVENT LAST YEAR.
UH, THIS YEAR THEY'VE CHANGED IT TO THE SIGNATURE EVENT, AND WE'RE ONE OF EIGHT TOURNAMENTS, UH, BELOW THE MAJORS THAT IS, UH, RECOGNIZED AS BASICALLY A MINI MAJOR, A STEP DOWN FROM, UM, MAJOR WITH A LIMITED FIELD, BUT HAVING, UH, THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE WORLD GUARANTEED TO PLAY HERE.
AND, UH, AGAIN, IT'S A COMPLIMENTED, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT JUST DOING THIS.
THE PGA TOUR WANTS TO BE HERE, THE PLAYERS WANT TO BE HERE, THE NETWORK WANTS TO BE HERE, UH, THE MEDIA WANTS TO BE HERE.
AND, UH, THAT LITTLE THREE HOUR TOUR FROM AUGUSTA WORKS IN OUR FAVOR AND FOR MANY REASONS AS WELL.
BUT IT'S, UH, AGAIN, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN PUT FORTH FROM,
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UH, OUR SUPPORT, OUR SPONSORS, OUR TOWN, OUR VOLUNTEERS, THAT, UM, THEY'RE HERE AND WE STEPPED UP IN A BIG WAY IN 2020 THROUGH THE COVID YEAR WHEN, UH, THEY CANCELED OUR EVENT.WE ENDED UP AGREEING TO BEING ABLE TO DO IT THROUGH EFFORTS OF WORKING WITH THE TOWN, THE COUNTY, AND THE STATE.
AND, UM, THEY RECOGNIZED THAT, AND THEY'RE LIKE, IF WE'RE, IF WE WANT TO BE SOMEWHERE, WE KNOW WHERE WE WANT TO BE.
AND THAT'S HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
WHAT ARE THE INCREASES, WHAT ARE THE INCREASES THAT, UH, YOU HAVE REQUESTED OR RECEIVED FROM OTHER SPONSORS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RBC? WELL, AS, UM, AS CERTAINLY AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE TOO, UM, WE CAN LOOK AT OUR TITLE SPONSOR, OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR, OUR TITLE SPONSORS, UH, IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THEIR SPONSORSHIP, WHICH IS SEVEN FIGURES PLUS, UM, SOME IN ADDITION TO, UH, ALL OUR SPONSORS AND OUR PARTNERSHIPS ARE DIFFERENT.
UH, UH, CERTAINLY THE HOSPITALITY SPONSORSHIPS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THIS, THIS PARTNERSHIP HERE.
UH, UM, OUR HOSPITALITY SPONSORS ARE ABOUT TICKETS AND PRO-AM SPOTS AND HOSPITALITY WHERE THE SUPPORT FROM, UH, THE TOWN IS ABOUT, UM, PUTTING ON THE, THE BEST TOURNAMENT WE CAN IN SUPPORT OF, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE TOURNAMENT AND ALL.
SO, UM, EVERYONE HAS BEEN ASKED, UH, WE'RE CERTAINLY SENSITIVE TO THE, UH, UH, THE TICKET REQUESTS AND, UH, THOSE, OR TICKET PURCHASERS TOO.
BUT, UH, IN LOOKING AT, UM, ELEVATING THE EXPERIENCE, ELEVATING, UH, UM, THE TOURNAMENT ITSELF, UH, THIS IS THE SUPPORT HERE FROM THE TOWN IS HELPING US, UH, IN, IN DOING, DOING THAT.
AND, UH, BUT ALL OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS AND SPONSORS AS WELL AS, UH, HAS BEEN MORE THAN HAPPY TO STEP IN THERE AND SEE HOW THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE, UH, THE TOURNAMENT.
UM, UH, I DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST ANY CRITICISM.
I THINK THE HERITAGE TOURNAMENT IS GREAT, AND I THINK THE STEP UP TO A SIGNATURE, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT YOUR SIGNATURE
UH, THE ONLY QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT EXTENT SHOULD WE INCREASE THE CONTRIBUTION MEMBERS OF, OF THE TOWN COUNCIL? WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT SHOULD WE USE THAT MONEY FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING OR DEVELOPMENT LIMITATIONS OR SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, A QUICK LOOK AT THE, IN REQUEST INCREASE, INCREASE IN TICKET PRICES, MY MIND REFLECTED SOMEWHERE AROUND 25 OR 30% AS A TICKET PRICE INCREASE.
UM, THE REQUEST THAT YOU ARE MAKING OF US IS, UH, SOMEWHAT IN EXCESS OF 67%, RELATIVELY LARGE TO, WITH THE C MAY BE THE LARGEST INCREASE THAT'S BEING REQUESTED, WHICH IS YOU MAY WANT TO COMMENT ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY LOOK AT, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, RBC CERTAINLY FROM THEIR STANDPOINT IS AS HAS STEPPED UP IN A WAY THE AGREEMENT IS CERTAINLY WAS MENTIONED BEFORE FOR NOT RBC.
UM, DON'T CONSIDER WHAT THEY DO RELEVANT TO US.
NO, AND ACTUALLY, AS SAID, FROM THE LAST MEETING, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE QUESTION WAS ASKED ABOUT US BEING ABLE TO DO MORE THINGS WITH THE, UH, WITH THE, THE TOWN MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT IN, IN YEARS PAST.
AND SOME OF THE SUPPORT WE'VE, WE'VE GIVEN THE ASSETS OR SOME OF THE EXPOSURE TO THE, TO THE CHAMBER IN, IN THE, AT THE REQUEST OF, OF THE TOWN.
BUT HERE, WE'RE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT ADDITIONAL EXPOSURE.
UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION OF A, A TENT LOCATION, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE GOLF COURSE AROUND, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE LIKES OF, UH, THE NETWORKS AND THE MEDIA AS WELL.
THE WAY I READ THIS IS, UM, WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL EXPOSURE TO THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDEES, BUT WE WOULD NOT GET ADDITIONAL NA NATIONAL EXPOSURE THROUGH THE TV THAT'S REGULATED, UH, UH, BY THE BROADCAST COMPANY CBS.
UH, AND WE WERE ADVISED THAT WE COULD PROVIDE MATERIAL TO THE ANNOUNCERS AND THEY COULD CHOOSE WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY.
UH, IT'S SOMEWHAT HARD FOR ME TO SEE THAT THERE'S MUCH ADDITIONAL BENEFIT TO THE TOWN FOR AN INCREASE OF $200,000 OVER LAST YEAR, AND PARTICULARLY SINCE A FAIR AMOUNT OF PROCEEDS ARE GONNA END UP GOING TO CHARITY, AND WHETHER IT'S AN APPROPRIATE MATTER FOR THE TOWN TO GIVE MONEY, THAT THAT'S GOING TO CHARITY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS THAT I HAVE ABOUT THE LEVEL OF THE INCREASE THAT, THAT, UH, REQUESTED.
I IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO ANSWER THAT TOO.
[00:30:01]
REGARDS TO THE CVS, AS SOON AS THAT CAMERA DOESN'T GO ON, THERE IS, UH, THERE IS SOMETHING OF ADDED VALUE TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT CERTAINLY IS TREMENDOUS.UH, UM, SOMEONE RECENTLY ASKED US AND KNOW THIS QUESTION, THE QUESTION WASN'T ASKED, BUT, UH, THEY WERE SAYING, HOW MUCH DO WE PAY JIM NANCE? YOU KNOW, THEY THOUGHT HE WAS ON OUR PAYROLL AND WE'RE LIKE, NOT A THING.
AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WE HAVE HIM ON VIDEO SAYING HIS FAVORITE THREE HOURS IN AUGUSTA, THE THREE HOUR TRIP TO, UH, UM, TO HILTON HEAD.
BUT, UH, UM, UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION, UH, THE SUPPORT FROM, UH, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, THE CHARITY COMPONENT, UM, LET ALONE THE BUSINESSES HERE SHOWING ECONOMIC IMPACT IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO US WORKING WITH ALL THE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT WE DO.
GOOD TO HEAR YOU, UM, LEAD OFF BY THANKING YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE STAFF FOR WORKING 365 DAYS A YEAR TO BRING A BIG EVENT TO THE ISLAND THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD OF.
I ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WAS IN OUR PACKET.
UH, I THINK THAT ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.
UM, I THINK THAT OUR INVESTMENT IN THIS IS IMPORTANT, UH, AND BEYOND JUST THE DOLLARS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT YOU REFERENCED, UM, IT'S BEEN GOING A LONG TIME AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS TAKE A LOT OF ENJOYMENT TO PARTICIPATE, AND I THINK THERE IS PRIDE THAT IS DERIVED FROM THAT VOLUNTEERISM.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT THIS, UH, TOURNAMENT FLOURISHES, UM, GETS BETTER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
UM, I THINK THAT THE PUBLICITY THAT THE TOWN RECEIVES IS VERY IMPORTANT ON A COUPLE OF LEVELS.
ONE, IT DRIVES INTEREST IN COMING TO THE ISLAND.
IE IT SUPPORTS THE TOURISM BUSINESS, BUT MAYBE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN THE, UH, TOWN IS HOW DO WE ENHANCE THE, THE COMMUNICATION OF OUR VALUED BRAND.
WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THAT 32ND SEGMENT AND WHAT GOES IN THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT, UM, EVERY TIME SOMEBODY TURNS ON THEIR TV TO WATCH THE HERITAGE, UM, THEY ARE SEEING ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT I THINK DREW ALL OF US HERE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE WHAT HILTON HEAD HAS TO OFFER, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME HERE AND LIVE.
SO IT, IT'S DOING MUCH MORE THAN DRIVING 1500 DO JOBS OR OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC IMPACT.
UM, SO I THINK THE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT WORTHWHILE, BUT I'M WILLING TO HEAR WHAT OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DIOCESE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT WHAT THAT FAIR INCREASE IS, BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO WRESTLE THERE.
UM, THANKS FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.
AND, UM, I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU AS OTHERS HAVE, AS FAR AS THE ELEVATION OF, OF IT.
IS TIGER COMING IN THIS YEAR?
UM, FOLLOWING UP ON THE, UH, THE DISCUSSION AROUND MARKETING, UM, THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN IN PRETTY IN DEPTH CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR, UH, DMO ABOUT SORT OF CONTROLLING OUR MESSAGE AND EXPANDING OUR MESSAGE, RIGHT? UM, SO I WOULD JUST OFFER, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INFLUENCE THAT YOU DO HAVE WOULD HOPEFULLY LINE UP THESE NEW PILLARS THAT WE HAVE DECIDED OR IMPORTANT TO US AS A COMMUNITY AS FAR AS TELLING OUR STORY.
UM, AND THE OTHER PART THAT THE AGREEMENT REALLY SPEAKS TO MARKETING AND TRANSPORTATION AS FAR AS, UM, WHAT THESE FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR.
AND I AM INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW THAT TRANSPORTATION PIECE FUNNELS DOWN TO LOCAL MINORITY, DISADVANTAGED, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, YOUR COMMENTS THERE
[00:35:01]
TOO.UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE OPERATION OF THE, THE, THE TOURNAMENT, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS BACK WHEN PRIOR TO US GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE, THE PARTNERSHIP HERE TOO, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T OUT AT HONEY HORN, WHICH WE THANK THE SUPPORT OF HONEY HORN COASTAL.
UH, WE DID NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION, SOME THINGS TO KIG ME FOR MORE OR LESS FOR THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AS WELL.
SO, SO THAT'S, SO THAT, THAT IS WHERE WE'VE EXPANDED OUR OPERATIONS.
AND, UH, UM, WE HAVE RECENTLY SPOKEN TO, UH, LOCAL AS WE CONTINUED TO DO, WE'VE OFFERED, UH, THE LOCAL, UM, TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS HERE TO WORK WITH US IN SOME OTHER AREAS IN WORKING WITH OUR, THE BIGGER COMPANY PER SE.
BUT, UM, UM, BUT WE'RE FROM THE MARKETING SIDE, YOU KNOW, ANDREW DAVIS AND ANGELA MCSWAIN ON OUR TEAM, OUR COMMUNICATION MARKETING DIRECTOR, MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIT DOWN.
AND THEY HAVE A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP TO TALK ABOUT THE MARKETING SIDE, BUT WE'RE ALSO OPEN IN MANY, MANY WAYS, LET ALONE WORKING WITH THE LIKES OF THE SURGE GROUP AND THE GRAS AND THE PALM ELECTRICS AND, UH, UM, UM, THE GREENERY AND OTHER BUSINESS HERE LOCALLY.
WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIT AND TALK WITH ANYBODY WHO'S, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO UTILIZE THEIR SERVICES FOR SURE.
IF WE ENCOURAGE THAT, PARTICULARLY SINCE THESE ARE LOCAL FUNDS THAT ARE BEING INCREASED.
OH, I ABSOLUTELY, AND IF YOU, LIKE I JUST MENTIONED, I, I, WE LOOK AT THE, UH, WHETHER IT IS THE, THE HIGH SCHOOLS OR, UM, YOU SOME OF THESE OTHER SERVICES, THE, UH, OUR LOCAL SERVICES, LET ALONE, UM, I DID MENTION THE GREENERY COASTAL, UH, SECURITY, A LOT OF THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT WE DO UTILIZE AND, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, WANNA SUPPORT THE LOCAL AND WE'RE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN GET IN AND I CAN DISCUSS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TOO.
WE'RE DIFFERENT THAN I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF OTHER TOURNAMENTS.
UH, IF YOU GO TO ATLANTA OR CHARLOTTE AND SOME OF THESE OTHER PLACES, THE TOURNAMENT REALLY GETS LOST AND IT'S NOT.
BUT WE ARE, UH, UH, WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A WIN-WIN WIN, AND THEN YEARS PAST AND REACHING OUT TO THE TOWN.
AND, UH, IT'S YES IS THE ANSWER, WHAT'S THE QUESTION? AND IN RETURN OF HOW THEY CAN HELP US AND HOW WE CAN HELP YOU ALL TOO.
SO WE'RE OPEN FOR, UH, ANYTHING TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? YEAH.
I JUST WANTED, WOULD YOU PROVIDE US WITH THAT LIST OF LOCAL VENDORS? OH, THAT, CERTAINLY.
AND I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, I CAN GET INTO THE HOTEL YEARS AND THE CATERING SERVICES AND OTHERS THAT HELP US AND, UH, YOU KNOW, GOLF INGS AND OUT DIFFERENT SERVICES, BUT, UH, WE CERTAINLY WILL.
IF WE HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
YEAH, I I DO HAVE ONE OTHER THING, WHICH IS INTERESTING, THE PGA TOUR JUST RECENTLY THROUGH, UH, IN HELPING ORGANIZATIONS TRANSFORM LIVES IN UNIFY COMMUNITIES, UH, RECOGNIZE ALMA AMA WARD AS A, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY IN THE MS. MITCHELL LITTLE EFFORT.
AND I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT, LAURA SIMON HAD TALKED ABOUT IT BRIEFLY, OR YOU DID WITH, UH, CBS, BUT IT'S, UH, UM, THE PGA TOUR RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, UNIFYING THE COMMUNITY, TRANSFERRING THE COMMUNITIES TO GETTING BETTER AND WORKING TOGETHER.
AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT JUST RECENTLY WAS AWARDED HERE IN DECEMBER, WAS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE HUNDRED FACES.
SO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE OF YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR TEAM.
UM, CERTAINLY YOU'VE PUT A WONDERFUL TEAM TOGETHER, MARK AND JOSH AND OTHERS.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, UM, SEEING EVERYBODY HERE, THE SIGN SIGNATURE TIME AND A SIGNATURE EVENT.
I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THE DICE FOR SOME ACTION HERE.
ANYONE WANNA SPEAK TO THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? HEY, SEEING NONE,
I'LL START MY VIEW, MY VIEW ON THIS.
EXCUSE ME, STEVE, YOU WANNA GO FIRST?
MY VIEW IS THAT THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEING ASKED FOR CAN BE JUSTIFIED BY THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS EVENT.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS EVENT, UH, TO THIS TOWN, IT IS OUR SIGNATURE EVENT AND I WOULD SUPPORT IT.
UM, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE MOU AS AS PRESENTED.
I THINK THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, UH, SHOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER OR IN A RANGE OF 75 TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH WOULD BE 25 TO 33% INCREASE, 50, 50,000 PLUS OVER THE 300 THAT WE PAID LAST YEAR.
50 IS WHAT GAMES YOU HAVE? I GUESS I'M SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.
[00:40:01]
BE COMFORTABLE WITH 400,000.I'LL MAKE A MOTION ON THAT BASIS.
MOVE THAT THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION, UH, COMMITTEE APPROVE A SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WITH HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION FOR THE RBC GOLF TOURNAMENT WITH A SUPPORT OF $400,000.
ARE WE APPROVING OR ARE WE RECOMMENDING COUNSEL APPROVE.
THIS ITEM WILL HAVE TO GO TO FULL COUNSEL.
MR. DEFENSE, YOU HAVE ITEM CORRECT? THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. AMES FOR 400 K SECOND BY MR. ALFRED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE? READY FOR THE QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE WORK THERE, JOSH AND MR. WILMAR.
[6.b. Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coastal Community Development Corporation - Josh Gruber, Deputy Town Manager]
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE POSTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UBA.I'VE GOT A MORE FORMAL PRESENTATION TO HELP WALK US THROUGH THIS ISSUE, UH, THIS AFTERNOON.
SO TODAY I WANNA COVER, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AND BACKGROUND JUST FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE, UH, JOINING US FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, GO OVER THE INTENDED USE OF FUNDS AS OUTLINED, UM, IN THE REQUEST THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE TOWN.
WILL REVIEW THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND THE TERMS THAT ARE IN IT, BOTH THE TERMS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF LAST MONTH'S, UM, F AND A MEETING, AS WELL AS SOME PROPOSED, UM, POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED BY THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WE'RE THEN GONNA LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE POLICY QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE ANSWERED IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS, UH, ITEM FORWARD, IF THAT IS THE WILL OF THE COMMITTEE TO MOVE THIS ITEM FORWARD.
AND THEN, DEPENDING UPON THOSE ANSWERS, UM, WE'LL LOOK AT THE TIMELINES THAT ARE INVOLVED FOR THE PROCEDURAL NEXT STEPS, UM, WHICH IDENTIFY A COUPLE DIFFERENT PATHS THAT WE CAN EXPLORE.
SO THE TOWN WAS CONTACTED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REQUESTING FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $600,000 THAT WOULD BE USED TO ALLOW THE ORGANIZATION TO PURSUE ACQUISITION OF EXISTING, UM, AND VARIOUSLY LOCATED CONDOMINIUM UNITS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UM, THE ORGANIZATION WOULD PURCHASE THOSE UNITS AND THEY WOULD, AS THEY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE ON THE OPEN MARKET, ACQUIRE THEM RECORD RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS WITH THOSE UNITS THAT WOULD LIMIT THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO ANY FUTURE RENTAL OF THE PROPERTY.
AND THEN THEY WOULD OVERSEE THE QUALIFICATIONS SELECTION OF THE INDIVIDUALS WOULD OCCUPY THOSE UNITS AND THEY'D BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THOSE UNITS GOING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, THIS COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MADE AN INITIAL PRESENTATION TO THE FINDINGS AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE BACK IN AUGUST OF 2023.
AT THAT TIME, THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED THAT STAFF WORK WITH THE ORGANIZATION TO DEVELOP A DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT CAN BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT JOINTLY WITH THIS BODY.
UH, MOST RECENTLY AT ITS DECEMBER 19TH MEETING, THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE FIRST DRAFT OF THAT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND PROVIDED A SERIES OF COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK.
SO JUST TO OUTLINE HOW THE FUNDS WOULD BE USED, UM, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS PROPOSING AS A PHASE ONE, THE ACQUISITION OF 13 UNITS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UM, THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THAT PHASE ONE IS $3 MILLION OF THAT.
THEY'RE SEEKING $600,000 IN FUNDS FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THEY WOULD PLACE A 99 YEAR COVENANT ON THE PROPERTY TIED TO THE OUTLINED A MI LEVELS.
UM, THEY'VE CURRENTLY RECEIVED A MATCHING GRANT FROM A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY, ALONG WITH $125,000 IN DONATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED ADMINISTRATIVE OR BEEN FUNDRAISED FOR.
AND I BELIEVE MR. WOLF MAY, UH, PROBABLY UPDATE THAT FIGURE TO BE, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCURATE TODAY, AS I BELIEVE THAT HAS CHANGED.
UM, AND AT THE TIME THAT THEY PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION, THEY'D ALREADY CLOSED ON THREE UNITS, TWO IN, UH, WOODLAKE AND ONE ON MARSH SIDE.
SO IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, AS WAS, UH, PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WOULD USE FUNDING THAT IS PROVIDED TO ACQUIRE RESIDENTIAL UNITS FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF PROVIDING AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, THE COMMUNITY, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WILL BE REQUIRED TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT A FUNDING PLAN THAT WILL DETAIL WITH SPECIFICITY HOW THOSE FUNDS WILL BE UTILIZED IN A CORRESPONDING BUDGET TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE TOWN THAT WOULD IDENTIFY HOW THE FUNDING WOULD BE USED AND IN THE CONTEXT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT MAY BE RAISED ALONGSIDE WITH IT, THAT PROPOSED PLAN IS SUBMITTED AND THE INFORMATION, UM, MUST ALSO CONTAIN, UH, HOW THEY WILL PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THOSE
[00:45:01]
UNITS.UH, THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MUST ALSO IDENTIFY THE NATURE AND EXTENT TO WHICH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS SEEK TO ACQUIRE AND WILL BE PREVENT PROTECTED FROM AN AFFORDABILITY STANDPOINT.
THAT GOES BACK TO THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS THAT WOULD BE, UM, APPLIED TO THOSE UNITS.
SO THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE US WITH A COPY OF THAT INFORMATION AND THAT LANGUAGE SO THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO KNOW HOW THAT RESTRICTION WOULD BE PLACED AND THEREFORE PROTECT THE AFFORDABILITY OF THOSE UNITS GOING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
ADDITIONALLY, WITHIN THE FIRST DRAFT, UM, THERE WAS LANGUAGE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE SALE OF ANY UNITS ACQUIRED, UM, WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE TOWN.
UH, IT WOULD ALSO, UH, REQUIRE THAT THEY SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT IDENTIFYING HOW THOSE FUNDS WERE IN FACT SPENT, SO WE COULD TRACK THOSE DOLLARS.
UM, AND THAT WOULD, WE WOULD ALSO ASK FOR METRICS THAT WOULD BE USED TO HELP US EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT PROGRAM.
THAT WAY GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, THERE'S THE ABILITY TO MONITOR THE PERFORMANCE OF IT AND UNDERSTAND IS IT ACCOMPLISHING THE GOALS THAT IT'S SET OUT TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE A MINIMUM INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ANY UNITS THAT WERE REQUIRED OR MAINTAINED.
UNDER THE AGREEMENT FOLLOWING THE DECEMBER 19TH MEETING, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF REVISIONS THAT WERE PROPOSED BY THIS BODY THAT HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE CURRENT DRAFT THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UM, THOSE INCLUDE CARE CLARIFICATION THAT THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME RANGES WITHIN THE MOU WOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 30% NOR GREATER THAN 120%.
UM, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO KIND OF ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME UP.
UM, I MYSELF HAVE LEARNED RECENTLY THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY IS, IS THE LEVEL AT WHICH THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME IS CALCULATED.
SO IT'S CALCULATED AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND APPLICABLE TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THERE ALSO IS SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREA MEDIAN INCOME CALCULATIONS THAT ALL COME FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS GOING FORWARD IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT I BELIEVE WE NEED TO DO IS THE RANGES CAN BE THE SAME, BUT WE NEED TO STAY WITH SPECIFICITY.
THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME METRIC THAT WE ARE REFERENCING.
UM, TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU USED TO TALK ABOUT INTEREST RATES THAT WOULD BE ADJUSTABLE, THEY WOULD SAY IT'S TIED TO SOME INDEX.
WELL, YOU WOULD IDENTIFY WITH SPECIFICITY WHICH INDEX THAT RATE WOULD BE TIED TO THE LIOR OR THE WHATEVER WE WOULD NEED TO DO THE SAME THING HERE.
WE WOULD NEED TO STATE WHAT CALCULATION OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME WILL BE THAT 30 TO 120% SO THAT WE'RE OPERATING OFF OF THE SAME LANGUAGE GOING FORWARD.
UM, ADDITIONALLY IN THE REQUESTED, UH, PROVISIONS FROM THE LAST MEETING WAS TO INSERT LANGUAGE THAT THE MONTHLY RENT THAT ANY UNIT WOULD BE CHARGED WOULD NOT EXCEED 30% OF THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF THE APPLICANT THAT WOULD BE SELECTED FOR THAT UNIT.
SO NOT ONLY WOULD THERE BE A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF, BUT FROM A PROGRAMMATIC STANDPOINT, ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE SELECTED FOR A PARTICULAR UNIT COULD NOT BE CHARGED MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR ANNUAL INCOME.
THAT 30% FIGURE IS A RECOMMENDATION AS A BEST PRACTICE IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE ALSO ADDED, UH, AN INDEMNIFICATION LANGUAGE TO, UH, LIMIT, UH, THE TOWN'S LIABILITY FOR ANY ACTIONS OR LIABILITY ARISING UNDER THE MEMORANDUM.
WE ADDED LANGUAGE REQUIRING THE SUBMISSION OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AS PART OF THE ANNUAL PLAN AND FUNDING REQUEST.
WE INSERTED LANGUAGE REQUIRING ACTIVE EMPLOYMENT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS AN EXPRESS CONDITION OF THE SELECTION TO OCCUPY ANY OF THE WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS CREATED UNDER THE AGREEMENT.
AND WE REMOVED LANGUAGE REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING AND MADE SURE THAT IT WAS CLEAR THAT IT'S JUST GOING TO BE THE ACQUISITION OF EXISTING RESIDENTIAL OR MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING UNITS.
LASTLY, WE ADDED LANGUAGE TO PROHIBIT PROVIDING A PREFERENCE TO HOUSING APPLICANTS BASED UPON THEIR THEIR EMPLOYER AND THE NATURE OF THE EMPLOYMENT.
YOU CAN SEE I'VE GOT A STAR THERE.
I KNOW MR. WOLF IS GOING TO ADDRESS THAT, UM, WHEN HE MAKES HIS REMARKS, BUT IT, IT IMPACTS THEIR ABILITY TO DO PRIVATE FUNDRAISING AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO I KNOW HE'S GONNA TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF EXPRESS HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO APPROACH THAT ITEM.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S LANGUAGE REQUIRING THE REINVESTMENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE OF ANY UNIT THAT ARE REQUIRED ON ITS MEMORANDUM.
SO REMEMBER IN THE FIRST DRAFT, WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT ANY SALE WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE WITH OUR EXPRESS PERMISSION.
NOW WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT SAYS, AND THAT SALE REVENUE PROCEEDS WOULD HAVE TO BE REINVESTED IN THE ACQUISITION OF COMPARABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS.
SO THOSE INITIAL TERMS PLUS THOSE ADDITIONAL TERMS, ARE NOW INCORPORATED INTO THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT THAT IS IN TODAY'S MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE.
SO MOVING FORWARD, THE QUESTIONS THAT THIS BODY MUST
[00:50:01]
DETERMINE IF WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ACTION.THE FIRST IS TO FINALIZE THE TERMS OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
WE NEED TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT BETWEEN US AND THE, UH, COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SO THAT WE HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT CAN THEN BE FORWARDED TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
SECOND, WE HAVE TO DETERMINE A CRITICAL PATH FOR THE TIMING ON THIS ACTION IF FUNDING IS GONNA BE RECOMMENDED.
WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU A SCHEDULE HERE IN JUST A SECOND THAT OUTLINES BOTH.
BUT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER A REQUEST OF FUNDING UNDER THE FY 24.
SO THIS CURRENT YEAR'S AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING PROGRAM OR WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONSIDER IT AS PART OF THE SOON TO BE UPCOMING FY 25 AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING PROGRAM.
AND THE TIMELINES FOR BOTH OF THOSE LOOKS LIKE THIS.
SO ON JANUARY, UM, WELL THAT WAS, SO JANUARY 9TH MEETING GOT MOVED TO TODAY.
SO JANUARY 11TH, WE'RE CONSIDERING THE MOU, UH, JANUARY 17TH PLANNING COMMISSION IS GOING TO BE TAKING UP THE ITEM OF AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO INCORPORATE THE HOUSING IMPACT ANALYSIS.
AS YOU RECALL, THAT IS A REQUIRED, UH, STEP IN ORDER TO USE STATE ACCOMMODATION TAX FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING PURPOSES.
SO THAT WAS ADVERTISED BACK IN DECEMBER.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS GONNA OCCUR IN JANUARY.
UM, AND THEN COMING OUT OF THAT, THAT ITEM IS GONNA GO TO THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION AT ITS FEBRUARY 8TH MEETING.
UM, CON, ASSUMING THAT THIS BODY MOVES FORWARD WITH THE MOU, THAT WOULD THEN BE TAKEN TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AT ITS FEBRUARY 20TH MEETING.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, THE MARCH 5TH AND MARCH 19TH MEETINGS WOULD BE USED TO DO TWO THINGS.
ONE, ADOPT THE ORDINANCE, AMENDING THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO INCLUDE THE WORKFORCE HOUSING ANALYSIS AND A CORRESPONDING BUDGET AMENDMENT.
IF THIS BODY RECOMMENDS AND COUNCIL AGREES THAT IT BE FUNDED UNDER THE FY 24 AFFILIATED AGENCY BUDGET, IF THE CHOICE OR THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MOVE FORWARD UNDER THE FY 25 AFFILIATED AGENCY TIMELINE, WE ARE ACTIVELY IN THAT PROCESS ON JANUARY 2ND.
APPLICATIONS WENT LIVE FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
UM, THOSE ARE DUE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UH, IN MARCH, THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE, WE'LL TAKE UP A REVIEW OF THOSE ITEMS AND WE WILL, UM, POTENTIALLY ACCEPT PRESENTATIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ON THE APPLICATIONS AT ITS APRIL 16TH MEETING.
THIS COMMITTEE WILL THEN, UH, DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR INCORPORATION INTO, UM, THE UPCOMING BUDGET.
AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE, TOWN COUNCIL'S ANTICIPATED TO HAVE FIRST AND SECOND READING OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET ORDINANCE ON MAY 7TH AND JUNE 4TH RESPECTIVE.
SO THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS, ONCE WE'VE DE FINALIZED THE TERMS OF THE MOU, WE'VE IDENTIFIED WHICH PATH WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND FOR COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD UNDER THE LAST ITEM IS THE DOLLAR VALUE THAT WOULD BE ATTACHED TO THAT.
AND SO AS PART OF TODAY'S AGENDA, YOU SEE THAT THERE'S AN ITEM ON THERE FOR POTENTIAL CONSIDERATION OF AN FY 24 AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATION, BOTH FOR THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND FOR THE, UH, HABITAT REGIONAL HILTON HEAD ISLAND REGIONAL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
THAT I BELIEVE BRINGS US UP TO WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU FOR DISCUSSION.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, LAYING OUT, UM, HOW WE WILL MOVE FORWARD.
SO, UM, WE'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS BEFORE US THAT WE WILL BE TAKING ACTION ON IMMEDIATELY AND THEN ONE FURTHER DOWN IN THE AGENDA.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA PUT A PIN IN THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, IF THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. GRUBER AND I'D LIKE TO OFFER UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MR. WOLF TO COME UP AND, UH, GIVE US SOME CLARITY ON THE POINT THAT HAD THE ASTERISK NEXT TO IT.
ANYTHING FOR JUST TO UNDERSTAND THE TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHICH, UH, APPLICATION YEAR TO APPLY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENCE OF APPROVAL IN MARCH VERSUS APPROVAL IN JUNE.
UH, THAT'S, THAT GIVES US SOME MORE WIGGLE ROOM.
'CAUSE GOVERNMENT WE'VE LEARNED DOES MOVE A LITTLE SLOWLY AND A CHOPPY WAY.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN DELAYING IT, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO ME LIKE THAT'S MUCH OF A DELAY.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR DISCUSSION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER RAMIFICATIONS BETWEEN FISCAL 24 AND 25? UH, BUDGET AMENDMENT, IF WE DO IT EARLIER? MM-HMM.
IF THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO COUNCIL AND IF COUNCIL APPROVES THAT THE FUNDING BE DONE UNDER THIS CURRENT BUDGET YEAR, WE WOULD NEED TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT, WHICH
[00:55:01]
WE ARE ANTICIPATING DOING ACTUALLY AT THE SAME TIME ANYWAY.SO WE WOULD INCLUDE THAT INFORMATION WHEN THAT BUDGET AMENDMENT COMES FORWARD.
OTHERWISE IT WOULD GO FORWARD UNDER THE FY 25 TIMELINE AND WOULD JUST BE INCORPORATED AS PART OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE.
ASIDE FROM HAVING TO DO A BUDGET ORDINANCE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER DOWNSIDES FROM DOING IT EARLIER? I, I CAN'T SAY THAT THERE'S A DOWNSIDE OR AN UPSIDE.
IT'S, IT'S A QUESTION FOR THIS BODY TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY THINK IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE.
UM, BOTH ARE ARE OPTIONS THAT COULD BE PURSUED REALLY WITHOUT ANY KIND OF, UM, POLICY RAMIFICATIONS THAT I'M AWARE OF.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WOULD LIKE TO TOUCH BASE ON JOSH'S ASTERISK THAT HE POINTED OUT, WHICH IS A, A TOPIC ALONG THE PREFERENCE THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THE LAST F AND A MEETING.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME, UM, MISUNDERSTANDING POTENTIALLY.
THERE WAS NO PREFERENCE EVER INTENDED IN OUR ORGANIZATION FOR ANYBODY UNLESS THERE WAS AN AFFILIATE, UH, WHO BROUGHT EQUITY TO THE TRANSACTION AND PURCHASE OF A UNIT.
SO THE IDEA WAS TO HAVE A AND REMAINS TO HAVE A BUSINESS ENTITY, NO ONE HAS DONE THIS YET, BUT TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO A BUSINESS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE 20% OF THE DOWN PAYMENT FOR A UNIT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IF YOU'LL DO THAT FOR TWO UNITS, WE'D GIVE YOU A PREFERENCE ON ONE SO THAT YOU'RE SOLVING THE CHALLENGE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND A ONE-TO-ONE RATIO AS YOU'RE SOLVING IT FOR YOURSELF.
AND THAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND THE PREFERENCE.
UH, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS EVER REALLY BROUGHT INTO FOCUS FOR THE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN THE SECOND FOLLOW UP WOULD BE, OF COURSE A DONATION FROM A BUSINESS OR A CORPORATION, UH, IN THE 20% TOTAL OF, OF PURCHASE PRICE, BUT ALSO QUALIFY FOR THAT PREFERENCE ON ONE UNIT.
YOU KNOW, OUR WISH WOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITH THAT AS PART OF THE MODEL, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PREFERENCE AS IT CAME UP IN THE PREVIOUS INSTANCE.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS NOT JUST WITH, UH, TOWN SUPPORT AND NOT JUST ALTRUISTIC COMMUNITY RESIDENT SUPPORT, WHICH WE HAVE GARNERED, BUT ALSO OF COURSE BUSINESSES NEED TO BE A CRUCIAL PART OF THIS, UH, TO STEP UP.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR SEVEN YEARS THAT I'M AWARE OF AND THIS IS A GOOD AVENUE FOR A BUSINESS TO DO IT WITHOUT TAKING ON, YOU KNOW, RISK OF HAVING TO GO BUY UNITS, UH, ENTIRELY, WHICH IS A CHALLENGING THING 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO GET INTO THE MANAGEMENT SIDE OF IT.
UM, I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE PREFERENCE TREATMENT AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, THAT GOING TO BE DOCUMENTED AS A PART OF OUR MOUI DON'T NEED THE DETAIL.
SO WHAT WE HAD IN THERE ORIGINALLY, AND THIS WAS COMING OUT OF LAST MONTH'S MEETING, WAS LANGUAGE THAT SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE NO PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT GIVEN.
AND THEN WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED IS A MODIFICATION THAT, TO CLARIFY THAT IF FUNDING IS PROVIDED, THAT PREFERENCE CAN BE PROVIDED SO LONG AS AN EQUAL NUMBER OF UNITS ARE PROVIDED PUBLICLY, UH, WITHOUT PREFERENCE.
I GOT, I GOT THE TWO TO ONE AND THAT'S FOR, UH, 3% MONEY AT TENT FOR 10 YEARS.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN INVESTOR INCENTIVE PROGRAM? CORRECT.
LIKE THE CONCEPT, THAT'S GOOD.
BUT THERE'S ALSO YOUR STATEMENT ABOUT IF A BUSINESS WANTS TO INVEST $50,000 NOT ON THE 10 YEAR 3%, THAT THEY ALSO GET FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL.
THERE'D BE NO STRINGS ATTACHED THAT, UH, EQUITY WILL BE USED WITHOUT ANY REPAYMENT.
IT'S A DONATION, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO IF THERE ARE, SO IT HAS HIGHER VALUE OF COURSE TO THE, THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF THERE'S 13 UNITS THAT YOU'RE GOING AFTER MM-HMM.
UH, WHAT IF THE BUSINESSES WERE TO PRESERVE ALL 13? WHAT WOULD OUR 600,000 BE? WELL, THE WAY THAT WE PRESENTED IT, UM, IT DOES NOT COUNT ON ANY PREFERENCE FROM BUSINESS.
AND WE WANT GENERATED ENOUGH RESIDENTIAL SUPPORT THROUGH ALTRUISTIC CAPITAL THAT WE'RE READY AND PREPARED TO DEPLOY THAT AGAINST IT.
UM, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE NO MORE THAN SIX UNITS IN PREFERENCE BECAUSE IT'S ALL THE ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP SIX WOULD BE UNENCUMBERED.
I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS, UM, IS THERE A DRAW DOWN PROVISION OF OUR $600,000? YOU NEED IT ALL AT ONE TIME TO IT HAS BEEN CONTEMPLATED AS A DRAWDOWN
[01:00:01]
AND I BELIEVE IT WOULD STAY THAT WAY BECAUSE THE CDC IS EVALUATING ANY UNIT THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AN INDEPENDENT BASIS.UM, OCCASIONALLY THERE ARE GROUPS OF UNITS, BUT THIS COULD BE APPLIED FOR BY THE, CAN'T PREDICT THAT AT THE TIME.
UM, IF, IF A, UM, UNIT IS, HAS AN EMPLOYEE IN IT MM-HMM,
THEY WOULDN'T BE DISPLACED AS LONG AS THEY STILL HAVE A LOCAL JOB WITH A BUSINESS.
UM, AND THEN THAT EMPLOYER WHO HAD A PREFERENCE FOR A UNIT WOULD BE THEN ELIGIBLE FOR ANOTHER UNIT WHEN IT COMES AVAILABLE.
UM, I WOULD FAVOR A PROVISION IN THE MOU IF IT'S NOT ALREADY THERE.
THAT LIMITS IT TO A ONE YEAR LEASE.
THE IDEA BEING THAT IF SOMEONE GAINS EMPLOYMENT SOMEWHERE ELSE OR GAINS EMPLOYMENT AT A HIGHER WAGE THAN WOULD BE COVERED, UH, WHEN THEY, WHEN THAT LEASE CAME UP FOR RENEWAL, THEN THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE AND THEY WOULD NEED TO MOVE OUT.
SO I ASSUME THAT THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO YOU THEN.
THAT'S THE WAY THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS DESIGNED.
IT'S ANNUAL RECERTIFICATION AND IF YOU EXCEED THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS, THEN YOU'RE GIVEN THE NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE GRADUATED AND MOVE ON AND WE'LL GIVE YOU A PATH TO DO SO.
WHAT I WAS SEEING THERE WAS, IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WERE SOME PLEDGES, IF YOU WILL, OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
UM, AND IF THAT IS THE WAY IT WORKS, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE TOWN'S CONTRIBUTION SHOULD COME IN KIND OF AS MATCHING FUNDS ON SOME SORT OF FORMULA TO WHERE WE KNOW THAT IN FACT, THE INVESTOR FUNDS ARE COMING IN.
IT'S NOT RELYING SOLELY ON THE TOWN'S FUNDS.
THAT'S EXACTLY HOW WE'VE DESIGNED IT AND DISCUSSED IT TO THIS POINT.
IT'S A, UH, MATCHING SITUATION.
I SAW MR. GRUBER JOTTING DOWN AS, UH, THE CONVERSATION WAS GOING ON.
UM, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON THE QUESTIONS AND THE RESPONSES THAT MR. WOLF HAS PROVIDED.
IF, IF, IF THERE'S, UM, DESIRE TO MOVE THIS OUT AND ONTO TOWN COUNCIL, I'LL INCORPORATE THAT IN THE PROPOSED MOTION THAT I CAN PROVIDE TO YOU THAT WOULD INCORPORATE THAT, THAT, UH, CLARIFICATION.
ONE OTHER ITEM I DID WANT TO ADD, UM, JUST FOR THE, THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS BODY IS THAT THE TOWN'S HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE AT ITS MEETING IN NOVEMBER, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT BOTH OF THESE PROPOSALS AND VOTED TO SUPPORT BOTH PROPOSALS.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO CONVEY THAT INFORMATION TO YOU AS WELL.
JOSH, I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU.
WE IMPOSE A 99 YEAR COVENANT ON A UNIT.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE DECISION IS MADE TO SELL THAT UNIT, THAT COVENANT WOULD CONTINUE TO GO RUN WITH THE TITLE TO THE LAND.
UNLESS EXTINGUISHED, IT WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN WITH THE, THE LAND AND WOULD PRESUMABLY IMPACT THE, UH, VALUE OF THAT UNIT.
IT WOULD SURPR, IT SUPPRESS THE VALUE OF THAT UNIT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WORKAROUND ON THAT.
UH, THAT'S NOT THE INTENTION, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT IS A SIDE EFFECT IN THE EVENT OF A SALE OF A UNIT.
I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS, UH, IT WOULD ALWAYS BE TIED TO THAT SAME A MI LEVEL.
AND THE A MI HAS RISEN, I BELIEVE, EIGHT OF THE LAST NINE YEARS ON HILTON HEAD, AND VERY DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO, UH, IT'S NOT GONNA BE CAPPED CERTAINLY IN ITS VALUE.
IT'S GOING TO PURSUE AT THE SAME RATE AS THE A MI WOULD INCREASE.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT A UNIT THAT IS ON THE OPEN MARKET AFTER IT'S BEEN IN THE PROGRAM WILL HAVE A SUPPRESSED VALUE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE INTENTION AT ALL.
IT WOULD SIMPLY BE FOR THE UNITS THAT THE CC DC OWNS.
UM, ALSO POTENTIALLY CREATING A HIGHER VALUE FOR, FOR THE UNITS THAT ARE ON THE OPEN MARKET WITHOUT THE COVENANT RESTRICTION.
JUST A QUESTION IN MY MIND, IT'S SIMILAR TO, YOU CAN BUY A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT HAS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON IT.
YOU CAN STILL OWN IT, YOU CAN STILL OCCUPY IT, BUT YOUR ABILITY TO USE IT HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THAT.
AND SO IT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE VALUE.
COULD WE TOUCH ITEM NINE A, WHICH WAS JUST THE, UH, INSURANCE COVERAGE AROUND FIRE.
THERE WAS A NOTE IN HERE SAYING, FIRE INSURANCE WITH LIMITS EQUAL TO REPLACEMENT COST OF ANY STRUCTURE WOULD BE COVERED IN THIS AGREEMENT.
OF COURSE, ALL THE REGIMES THAT WE PAY ON A MONTHLY BASIS INCLUDE SUCH COVERAGE, WE JUST WANTED TO SAY UNLESS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE REGIME.
QUESTIONS ON THAT? WE GOOD HERE? OKAY.
SO BEFORE WE TAKE ANY MOTIONS, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT SO WE CAN HEAR I SECOND THAT.
[01:05:01]
SIR.PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
HI, I'M ANGIE HUTCHINS AND SHIPYARD.
UM, I'VE GOT SO MANY QUESTIONS, UM, AS I'VE HEARD OTHER COMMENTS ALONG THE WAY AND FROM Y'ALL'S DISCUSSION.
BUT NUMBER ONE, UM, FROM THE NEWER DISCUSSION, THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS, AND THAT INVITES ME TO ASK YOU, WHO DECIDES WITH ALL THESE QUESTIONS OF HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK? SINCE THIS IS LARGELY UNTESTED AND UNPROVEN? IT MAY BE A GREAT IDEA, BUT HAVING SO MANY GOVERNMENT BODIES HAVING MONEY AT STAKE, TAX DOLLARS AT STAKE, WHAT HAPPENS IF THESE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES THAT IF THEY PROCURE PLEDGES FROM ALL OF THEM, WHAT HAPPENS IF Y'ALL ARE IN DISAGREEMENT? I WONDER ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT SORT OF CONFLICT.
AND THEN IT'S JUST UP FOR THEM TO DECIDE.
IT'S ALSO VERY CONFUSING TO ME BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S GOING TO BE, UM, PATROLLING OR, UM, SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO BE ADMINISTERING THESE LEASES.
IF THERE ARE THESE PEOPLE GONNA HAVE FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS, COULD THEY WORK ON THE ISLAND ONE DAY A MONTH? IS THAT GONNA BE SOMETHING ELSE? AND THOSE ARE JUST THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ASKED IN TERMS OF ADMINISTRATION AND WHO GETS WHAT AND HOW TO PLAY FAIR.
THERE'S, THERE'S JUST AN AN NETTING STREAM OF QUESTIONS THAT MAKES ME WONDER, WHO ARE YOU GONNA EMPLOY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND CO CONTRIVANCES AS THEY COME UP? INSTEAD OF LETTING THE FREE MARKET RUN AND, AND HAVING 99 YEAR, THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS.
SORRY, THE, THE 99 YEAR LEASE THAT RUNS WITH THE TITLE TO THAT PROPERTY.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THIS GROUP, IT, THERE'S SO MANY, THERE'S SO MANY ISSUES.
HOW DO YOU, YOU'RE MAKING SO MANY MORE PROBLEMS POTENTIALLY BY HAVING GOVERNMENT MONEY AND TAXPAYER DOLLARS BE PART OF THIS PLAN INSTEAD OF LETTING THEM GET THE BUSINESSES AND THE INVESTORS AND THE PHILANTHROPIES ALL INVOLVED AND HAVE MORE FREEDOM FOR THEM TO MANIPULATE.
I, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND BUILDING THIS FIGURE OF A MACHINE WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT.
WHAT UP,
LARRY LANDRY 1 23 FORT WALKER DRIVE IN HILTON HEAD.
UM, I WANT TO URGE APPROVAL OF THIS ON THE CRITICAL PATH TIMELINE.
UM, I'VE BEEN COMING TO COUNCIL MEETINGS SINCE 2015, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WORKHOUSE, WORKHORSE, WORKHORSE HOUSING SINCE 2015 THAT I REMEMBER.
UM, AS THE SONG GOES, THE TIME FOR HESITATION THROUGH, NO NEED TO WALLOW IN THE MIRE, I WON'T GO ANY FURTHER THAN THIS SONG, BUT, UM, SHOWING MY AGE.
BUT, UM, THERE IS A BIAS FOR ACTION NEEDED.
UM, YOU HAVE AN ESTEEMED NON-PROFIT BOARD.
IT'S A PROVEN MODEL AND OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, NOTHING'S EVER PERFECT, BUT YOU'VE GOT A STRONG MOU, YOU'VE GOT CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE.
UM, IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD, AND IT'S TIME TO DO IT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK ONE MORE TIME.
JOHN'S MARLEY HILLHEAD PLANTATION.
UH, FIRST I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT OUR PREFERENCE, THE MONEY THAT YOU ALL PROPOSE TO GIVE TO THEM.
WHAT PREFERENCE DO WE HAVE FOR THOSE UNITS? IT SOUNDS LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE A PREFERENCE.
UH, SECOND OF ALL, UM, WHO SHOULD HAVE PRIORITY ON THOSE UNITS? WE HAVE NURSES WHO NEED PLACES TO STAY.
WE KNOW THE PROBLEMS THE HOSPITAL IS HAVING.
WE SHOULD HAVE, WE SHOULD HAVE A PREFERENCE.
UM, ALSO THE ISSUE WITH LESS THAN 30% AT THAT 30% MARK, WHO IS, WHO IS GETTING THESE UNITS? ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE BELIEVE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACTUALLY GETTING THESE UNITS.
WE HAVE NO SAY IN ANY OF THIS.
UM, SO PLEASE TAKE THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO DICTATE HOW IT'S USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE ALL BELIEVE THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
[01:10:01]
THE, UH, THE, UH, HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S BEEN APPROVED PRIOR, YOU'VE MADE MODIFICATIONS.AGAIN, IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT DOWN TO THE PEOPLE.
LET THEM WORK THESE ISSUES OUT.
THAT'S WHY YOU CREATED THAT WHOLE PROCESS.
WE'VE SPENT HOURS OF ENERGY, TIME, AND STAFF TO CREATE A HOUSING ACTION WORKFORCE HOUSING PROCESS.
PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
I'M GONNA STAY ON THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM.
'CAUSE I HAD MS. LEE, MS. J LEE, I'M SORRY.
GOT TO FIRST AND THEN I GOT YOU AFTER THAT.
I SUPPORT WORKFORCE HOUSING INITIATIVES THAT MAKE SENSE.
AND I HAVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT FOR ELLEN AND THE CCDC INVESTORS, AS I SEE IT.
THIS IS WHAT THE COMMITTEE YES, VOTE ON THE MLU WILL LOOK LIKE.
IF NO CHANGES ARE MADE TO TERMS, ONE, THE TOWN WILL PROVIDE AT LEAST 50% OF EQUITY, BUT NO OWNERSHIP.
AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO OR WHAT ENTITY WILL MANAGE CC'S RENT CONTROLLED PROPERTIES.
TWO, THE $600,000 INITIAL INVESTMENT WILL FUND THE PURCHASES OF SIX PROPERTIES THAT CURRENTLY HOUSE 12 WORKERS BASED ON UNKNOWN CRITERIA.
IN THE EVENT THAT CCDC CEASES TO EXIST, THE TOWN WILL, I QUOTE, ASSUME CONDITIONS, SORRY.
ASSUME THE OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THESE UNITS UNDER THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS OUTLINED HEREIN, WHICH MEANS THAT TAXPAYERS WHO DON'T SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING PROGRAM TO BEGIN WITH WOULD POTENTIALLY BE LIABLE TO PAYING MORTGAGES AND RETURNING THE ALTRUISTIC INVEST INVESTORS PRINCIPLE PLUS 3% ANALYZED RETURN FOUR.
HISTORY TELLS US THAT THE HOUSING MARKET GOES UP AND DOWN.
AS I SHOWED YOU IN THE EX EXHIBIT ONE, IT'S NOT REALISTIC TO ASSUME A 4.17% INCREASE FOR TWO FOR 10 YEARS.
IN ADDITION, RESERVES NEED TO BE BUILT UP TO COMPENSATE FOR RISING PROPERTY INSURANCE, REGIME FEES, AND PROPERTY TAXES.
FAILURE TO DO SO WOULD REQUIRE THE TOWN TO STEP IN IN THE FUTURE TO SUSTAIN CC'S OPERATIONS.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, GIVEN THE FIVE YEAR TERM OF THE MOU, ANY NEW HOUSING POLICIES CHANGES BY THE COUNCIL WITHIN THAT PERIOD OF TIME REQUIRES CC'S CONSENT, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO THE VAGUE INCOME REQUIREMENTS OF NOT BE LESS THAN 30% NOR GREATER THAN 120% OF THE A-M-I-C-C-D-C.
AND THE TAXPAYERS DESERVE TO KNOW HOW MANY UNITS WILL BE AT WHAT PERCENTAGE BEFORE FURTHER INVESTMENTS ARE MADE.
THE CCDC PLAN HELPS VERY FEW LUCKY ONES, BUT WOULD TAKE INVENTORIES AWAY FROM THE WORKING FAMILIES WHO WANT TO OWN HOMES AND PUT ROOTS DOWN ON HEALTH AND HEAD.
THE ATEX BILL MANDATES HOME LOAN OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS. THE REASON THOSE PEOPLE CAN'T BUY IS NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD MONTHLY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, WHICH COULD BE LESS THAN RENT, AS I SHOWN YOU IN EXHIBIT TWO.
BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO SERVE COLUMN STUDENT LOANS OR CREDIT CARD DEBT, AND THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SAVINGS FOR THE DOWN PAYMENT.
ALSO, THE LATEST CENSUS DATA INDICATED THAT HILTON HAD, HAS A OCCUPANCY RATE, OCCUPANCY RATE OF 57%, WHICH MEANS THAT MORE THAN 13,000 HOUSING UNITS ARE EITHER, ARE EITHER SITTING EMPTY OR FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT TOGETHER WE CAN FIGURE OUT A VIABLE WAY TO CONVERT 10% OR 1300 OF THOSE UNITS INTO LONG TERM RENTAL FOR WORKERS WITHOUT USING TAXPAYER DOLLAR.
UM, I AM UP HERE TODAY TO VOICE MY SUPPORT.
I HOPE THAT THIS MOVES FORWARD.
UM, I HEARD WE NEED MORE SUPPORT, UM, FOR OUR CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY HAS BROUGHT FORWARD.
I ALSO JUST WANNA REMIND PEOPLE, WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT NUMBERS HERE TODAY.
AND, UH, THIS CCDC HAS ALREADY PUT PEOPLE IN HOMES.
AND SIMILAR TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, WHICH HAS ALSO PUT PEOPLE IN HOMES ON HILTON HEAD, UM, WE'RE SAYING IT'S, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID IT'S UNPROVEN, BUT CCDC HAS PURCHASED PROPERTY AND IS UTILIZING THIS MODEL ALREADY.
SO WE'RE, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID IT'S UNPROVEN.
I WOULD SAY THAT'S MAYBE NOT SO MUCH.
[01:15:01]
PEOPLE, ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION AND I REALIZED WITH A ROOM GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ALL LOVELY AND NICE, BUT AS I LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW, ALSO, I CAN'T, I I DON'T SEE ANYBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE FOR NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, THEY WERE, ARE WITHIN ONE PHONE CALL OF LOSING THEIR HOUSING.ALL THAT'S ALL IT TAKES IS FOR ONE OWNER TO DECIDE, I'M GONNA SHORT TERM RENT THIS.
I'M GONNA SELL IT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER, OR I'M GONNA RAISE YOUR RENT.
25% TO ME, QUOTE, MARKET RATE.
I HAVE BEEN THERE MULTIPLE TIMES.
UM, MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE PROBABLY NOT BEEN THERE, ESPECIALLY NOT ON HILTON HEAD.
AND THE ANXIETY THAT THAT PRODUCES AND THE LOSS OF PRODUCTIVITY, AS I'M SURE ALAN WOLF CAN TELL YOU, PROBABLY HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO HIS OFFICE CRYING.
THEY HAVE TO LEAVE HILTON HEAD 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING EVERY DAY.
WE HAVE TWO ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
ALL OF THESE LOVELY PEOPLE BEHIND ME, THEIR GENERATION HAS NOT BEEN ROUTED OUT COMPLETELY.
AND WE JUST HEARD EARLIER TODAY IN A MEETING THAT PEOPLE WITH FAMILIES ARE LEAVING THE SIZE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING PER UNIT IN THIS, ON THIS ISLAND HAS DECREASED.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE MAKING THESE DECISIONS AND MAKING THESE COMMENTS RIGHT NOW WHO ARE BEING AFFECTED EVERY DAY BY THE LACK OF HOUSING INVENTORY ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
IT IS PEOPLE MY AGE AND YOUNGER.
AND THE HOUSING MARKET HAS FAILED.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN ALL LEVELS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
LINDSEY GRAHAM HAS SAID THAT OUR HOUSING MARKET HAS FAILED.
THESE ARE TWO SOLUTIONS, AND THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY THAT'S GOING TO HELP SOLVE THAT HERE ON HILTON HEAD.
NOBODY MADE A COMMENT WHEN WE'RE GIVING A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION $400,000 TO SPONSOR A GOLF TOURNAMENT.
NOT ONE QUESTION OR COMMENT WAS MADE.
IT'S GONNA AFFECT PEOPLE ON HOMESTEAD.
I'VE, UM, OWNED AND MANAGED MULTI-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ALL MY LIFE.
AND BELIEVE ME, YOU FOLKS DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INVOLVED WITH.
THIS IS THE HAR THIS IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
YOU'RE GONNA RENT OUT UNITS AT 30% OF INCOME, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'RE GONNA SUBLET IT OR THEY'RE GOING TO TURN IT INTO A AIRBNB BECAUSE THEY CAN MAKE MONEY.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE CONTROL OF THESE UNITS.
THEY'RE GONNA BE SPREAD ALL OVER THE ISLAND.
WHO IS GONNA MANAGE THEM ON A DAILY BASIS? HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO'S LIVING IN THESE UNITS? YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'LL GIVE THEM TILL THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO IF THEY MOVE OUT IN JANUARY, IN DECEMBER, YOU MIGHT FIND OUT THAT THE GUY WHO YOU RENTED TO ISN'T LIVING THERE.
WHO, WHO MANAGES THAT? WHAT HAPPENS IF THE RENT WASN'T PAID? WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DIDN'T PAY THE UTILITIES? ARE YOU GONNA PAY THE UTILITIES? HOW ARE YOU GONNA BE PAID? UNSURE FOR THIS? IF, IF YOU ARE NOT MANAGING IT AND YOU'RE NOT A HANDS-ON ONSITE LANDLORD, YOUR INSURANCE IS GONNA DOUBLE AND TRIPLE.
WHO IS GOING TO FIX UP A UNIT THAT IS COMPLETELY TRASHED FROM SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T CARE? HOW DO YOU KNOW? HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU, YOU WON'T KNOW FOR 10 MONTHS IF HE'S STILL WORKING FOR THE SAME PERSON? BUT IT BECOMES, AGAIN, SAYS, I STILL WANNA STAY THERE, BUT I HAVE A DIFFERENT JOB.
THESE, THESE ARE, I DEAL WITH THIS EVERY DAY CURRENTLY BECAUSE, AND WHERE I LIVE IN MY BUILDING RIGHT NOW, RENTS HAVE RAISED, SOLD, SOLD DRAMATICALLY.
THAT, THAT THERE, THAT, THAT THE AVERAGE RENT IS $1,100, OR AVERAGE RENT IS $2,200.
IN MY JURISDICTION, I GET $1,200.
MY UNITS ARE ALL BEING SUBLETTED BECAUSE THE TENANTS ARE MAKING MORE MONEY THAN ME ON THE PROPERTY, AND I CAN'T POLICE IT.
AND I LIVE THERE AND I HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT WHO LIVES THERE.
MY SUPERINTENDENT LIVES IN UNIT, AND WE CAN'T POLICE THESE PROPERTIES.
AND YOU ARE GONNA HAVE PROPERTIES SPREAD ALL OVER THE ISLAND, AND YOU WON'T KNOW WHO'S LIVING WHERE, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE.
I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH ONE THOUGHT.
THE BIGGEST SLUM LORD IN CANADA IS THE CITY OF TORONTO.
I HAD ANOTHER COMMENT ON THIS SIDE.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MATT SWEENEY AND I LIVE IN INDIGO RUN.
[01:20:01]
AT YOUR LAST MEETING, I ASKED YOU TO CONSIDER THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY CC'S BUSINESS MODEL.PURCHASING POWER THAT'S BACKED BY THE GOVERNMENT WILL CROWD OUT OTHER PROPERTY BUYERS AND RENT CONTROL DWELLINGS ADJACENT TO OWNER OCCUPIED DWELLINGS WILL DIMINISH PROPERTY VALUES.
PEOPLE MAY BE HARMED, AND I THINK THE TOWN HAS AN OBLIGATION TO TRANSPARENTLY EVALUATE THAT.
MANY TOWN COUNCILMEN AND STAFF BELIEVE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING WILL LEAD TO A SURPLUS OF DWELLINGS, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUBSIDIZED, NOT THE DWELLINGS.
SO I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM SUBSIDIES FIRST, THERE'S THE LUCKY FEW WHO ARE SELECTED AS TENANTS.
THESE WINNERS ARE PRESUMED TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT WHAT ARE THE MEASURABLE BENEFITS? IS IT QUICKER TABLE SERVICE? IS IT CHEAPER LEGAL SERVICES? I BELIEVE THAT METRICS TO MEASURE SUCCESS OR FAILURE SHOULD BE DETERMINED BEFORE YOU SPEND MONEY.
THE SECOND BENEFICIARY WILL BE EMPLOYERS.
WILL THE SUBSIDIES PROVIDE INCENTIVE FOR EMPLOYERS TO PAY BELOW MARKET WAGES TO STAFF? IF THE HOUSING AND WORKFORCE SHORTAGE ON THE ISLAND IS SO DIRE, WHY HAVEN'T WE SEEN A NET LOSS OF BUSINESSES? ACCORDING TO THE TOWN'S 2022 COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, BUSINESS LICENSE ACCOUNTS ISSUED JUMPED FROM A 10 YEAR AVERAGE OF ABOUT SIX OR 7,000 PER YEAR TO 12,574.
IN FINANCIAL YEAR 2022, THAT'S A 75% INCREASE.
UH, THE DEPUTY TOWN MANAGER, GRUBER TOLD A GROUP OF RESIDENTS THAT ABOUT 120 NON-REAL BUSINESSES MOVED ON TO THE ISLAND LAST YEAR.
BUSINESSES TYPICALLY DON'T INVEST IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY CAN'T FIND EMPLOYEES.
MARKETS ALWAYS ACHIEVE, UH, EQUILIBRIUM.
EVENTUALLY, ON THE OTHER HAND, GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES WILL ARTIFICIALLY DISTORT THE MARKET, AND MORE BUSINESSES MAY CHOOSE TO OPERATE ON HILTON HEAD BECAUSE THEY GET THOSE, UM, UH, UH, EXTRA BENEFITS, AND THAT WILL EXACERBATE THE HOUSING WORKFORCE SHORTAGE SITUATION.
FINALLY, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES.
THE FIRST ONE, IS IT PRUDENT FOR GOVERNMENT TO USE TAXPAYER MONEY TO GET A NONPROFIT UP AND RUNNING? NUMBER TWO, IS IT LEGAL FOR GOVERNMENT TO FUND AN OPERATION THAT WOULD GUARANTEE PRIVATE INVESTORS A POSITIVE RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT WE TAXPAYERS EXPECT YOU TO HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER ON THAT.
YES, MELINDA TANNER, I WASN'T SURE WHETHER TO SPEAK NOW OR IF YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT AFFILIATED AGENCY MONEY FOR THIS.
AND I'D HAVE A, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PORTION LATER ON IN THE AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER IS JOHN CASEY INDIGO RUN.
UM, AS, AS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD HERE, AND I'M, I'M SURE YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A LOT MORE OF, UH, THERE ARE SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT, UM, PROCEEDING ALONG THE TIMELINE PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED.
UH, JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE IN TRYING TO RESOLVE ALL THOSE QUESTIONS.
SO I'M JUST GONNA FOCUS ON, ON ONE THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF PIQUED MY INTEREST, WHICH IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RENTALS WITHIN THE PROPOSED, UH, A MI.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE LAWYER IN ME ALWAYS GETS A LITTLE PERTURBED WHEN THERE ARE UNEXPLAINED INCONSISTENCIES IN ACTION, WHETHER THAT'S WHAT A WITNESS SAYS OR OR MUNICIPAL ACTION.
SO I'D LIKE TO LEARN A RECENT PAST.
IN THE VERY RECENT PAST, A PRIVATE DEVELOPER CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL WANTING TO USE PRIVATE CAPITAL, UH, PRIVATE PROPERTY TO DEVELOP, TO MAKE, UH, CREATE A DEVELOPMENT, UM, IN CON IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES.
UM, AND WAS IN ESSENCE COMPELLED TO INCLUDE SORT OF A, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT.
UM, BECAUSE THE TOWN HAD THE LEVERAGE TO DO SO, UH, CONCERNING A PARKING VARIANCE AT THE TIME, THAT SAME A MI WAS ULTIMATELY USED, UH, THE 30 TO 120%.
BUT I REMEMBER HEARING ALMOST A SENSE OF OUTRAGE FROM THE COUNCIL THAT, UH, IT WAS THE POSSIBILITY THAT A GREAT NUMBER OF THOSE UNITS MIGHT BE RENTED TO PEOPLE TOWARD THE HIGHER END OF, UH, THE RANGE OF THAT A MIA SORT OF A DIVISION BETWEEN WHO'S A WORTHY AND UNWORTHY WORKER.
AND, UM, THAT WAS WHEN PRIVATE MONEY
[01:25:01]
WAS INVOLVED, WHERE I GUESS YOU COULD DISAGREE, BUT I DON'T THINK THE GOVERNMENT, THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, HAD ANY BUSINESS GETTING INVOLVED IN TELLING WHAT THE DEVELOPER TO DO.NOW, IN COMPARISON, WE'RE USING PUBLIC MONEY.
THAT'S MONEY OVER WHICH THE COUNCIL HAS STEWARDSHIP BUT NOT OWNERSHIP.
AND YET USING THE SAME A MI RANGE AND LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED RENTALS WITHIN THAT RANGE, 70% OF THEM WILL BE RENTED TO INDIVIDUALS MAKING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REAL CONCERN, UH, WHEN A PRIVATE DEVELOPER WAS INVOLVED AND THE SEEMING WILLINGNESS NOW TO ALLOW THESE RENTALS TO OCCUR AT THE HIGHER END OF THE RANGE.
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANY QUESTIONS, UH, WHICH NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BEFORE ANYTHING LIKE THIS PROPOSAL CAN MOVE FORWARD.
HAPPY TO CLEAR A COUPLE OF THESE UP REAL QUICK.
THE DISTRIBUTION, UH, WAS COVERED IN MAY AT THE ORIGINAL REQUEST.
AND, UM, DETAILED IN THE AGENDA PACKAGE, THE REQUIREMENT OF DISTRIBUTION OF AIS AS YOU MAY HAVE TO MEET SOUTH CAROLINA AND IRS FOR HARBOR RULES.
ONE UNIT UP TO 50% OF A MI THAT'S HOUSEHOLD INCOME, TWO UNITS UP TO 80%, AND ONE UNIT UP TO 120%.
SO THERE'S A PRESCRIBED MAXIMUM AND IT'S ACROSS THAT, THAT SPECTRUM.
UM, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS IS AROUND PREFERENCE FROM JOHN.
I WOULD LOVE FOR THE TOWN TO ENACT A PREFERENCE IF THIS GRANT, WHICH WE MADE BY TOWN COUNCIL, UH, WE HAVE ONE VACANT UNIT THAT WE PURCHASED LAST WEEK AND I REACHED SHOUT TO THE HILTON HEAD FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S JUST THE TYPE OF ORGANIZATION WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE WITH A PREFERENCE.
THEY HAVE AN OFFICER WHO'S GOING TO BE OUT OF A HOUSE IN MARCH.
WE'VE ASKED HIM TO APPLY, BUT IF WE COULD HAVE THE TIME ON THAT PREFERENCE SCENARIO, WE WOULD LOVE THAT.
'CAUSE WE, AS WE, UH, TRY AND GET THIS THING OFF THE GROUND.
ANOTHER ONE OF THE COMMENTS WE'RE MANAGING IS A BIGGER MACHINE WITHIN GOVERNMENT.
THIS PIVOT IS A PIVOT FIVE OR SIX YEARS IN THE MAKING, IN THAT YOU HAVE HAD TONS OF STAFF RESEARCH, OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND I HAVE DONE THIS AS WELL THROUGH OUR WORK WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INCLUDING CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, GREENVILLE, DELAWARE BEACH, FLORIDA, ASPEN, COLORADO, AND STEAMBOAT SPRINGS.
TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT THE TOWN OF HILLHEAD ISLAND OWNING AND MANAGING RENTAL HOUSING.
THIS IS FINDING AN AFFILIATED AGENCY, A PARTNER IN A NONPROFIT JUST LIKE HAP HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO DO THIS WORK IN A SOUND MANNER SO THAT YOU DON'T CARRY THE RISK THAT IF IT WERE TO GO, UH, BELLY UP, THAT YOU HAVE ANY RISK AHEAD OF YOU.
WE HAVE EMPLOYED BANK, UH, FINANCING FOR UP TO 60% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE.
IF THE PROPERTY WAS FORECLOSED ON, THE COVENANT WOULD FALL OFF.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY PART AS IT IS IN ASPECT COLORADO, IF THE COMPANIES ARE REMOVED AND THE PROPERTY SOLD A MARKET PRICE AND, AND THE BANK WASHES THEIR HANDS, UH, GETTING NO RISK TO THE TOWN.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE REQUEST OF WHO'S LIVING IN THESE UNITS ACROSS THESE PERCENTAGES, WE HAD AN $80,000 RESTAURANT GENERAL MANAGER END UP ON A COUCH ON JANUARY 1ST BECAUSE HIS UNIT WENT TO THE SHORT TERM MARKET, UH, MAKING $80,000.
IS IT 110% A MI FOR A HOUSEHOLD OF ONE? THAT'S A GOOD WAGE, BUT THAT EXPLAINS WHY THE RANGE IS SO WIDE.
THE CCDC IS INTERESTED IN PROVIDING HOUSING ACROSS THE REPORT SPECTRUM THAT IS DEMANDED BY A HIGH, UH, LEVEL, UH, HIGH LEVEL COMMUNITY LIKE HILTON ISLAND.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE ACROSS THAT, THOSE BANDWIDTH FROM 50 TO 120% WITH THIS GRANT REQUEST.
AND LASTLY, THE PROMISSORY NOTES.
UM, THESE ARE UNSECURED DEBT INSTRUMENTS THAT THE CCDC IS GETTING FROM ALTRUISTIC RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP THIS.
SO THEY ARE NOT A GUARANTEED RETURN.
IF THIS FAILS, THE TIME IS NOT GUARANTEED RETURN FOR PRIVATE CITIZENS.
I WILL, I'LL TAKE A LOT LESS THAN THREE MINUTES, UM, THROUGH THE, UH, IDENTIFY YOURSELF, KEN.
WHAT'S THAT? IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
UH, KENNETH CAMPBELL, UH, 17 YEAR RESIDENT ISLAND.
AND THEY, UH, ALSO FULL DISCLOSURE, A BOARD MEMBER OF CCDC.
AND I VOLUNTEER MY TIME AND EFFORT.
IT'S NOT A PAID POSITION, I THINK AS YOU WELL KNOW, BUT JUST SO THE AUDIENCE IS AWARE, IT'S NOT PAID POSITION.
AND, UH, I'M, UH, VERY HAPPY TO BE, UH, INVOLVED IN THE, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING, UH, ISSUE ON THE AISLE, WHICH IS VERY SERIOUS.
[01:30:01]
RECOGNIZES THAT.UM, NOVEMBER, IT WAS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, BUT NOVEMBER OF 22.
UH, THE, UH, TOWN COUNCIL AT THAT POINT MADE A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT DECISION.
AND THEY ADOPTED THE FOUR PILLAR PLAN.
THIS WAS ALSO MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND, UH, THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TODAY.
UH, AT THAT TIME, UH, THAT PLAN INVITES PARTNERS AND INVITED THE TOWN RESIDENTS TO COME IN AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S HOW WE CAN HELP.
AND, UH, THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH REACTION TO THAT.
I REALLY WISH THAT PEOPLE THAT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM WOULD COME UP AND COMPETE FOR DOLLARS FROM THE TOWN TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE WE ONLY HAVE TWO APPLICATIONS TODAY.
I WISH THIS WAS GONNA BE A MUCH LONGER MEETING.
WE HAD A LOT MORE APPLICATIONS.
UH, WE MADE OUR FIRST REQUEST IN AUGUST OF 22.
WE IMPLEMENTED OUR PROGRAM STARTING IN MAY OF 23, UH, THROUGH TODAY.
WE NOW HAVE SIX UNITS THAT WE HAVE ACQUIRED.
AND, UH, UH, OUR PLAN IS TO ACQUIRE THE ADDITIONAL SEVEN FOR THIS PROGRAM PRIOR TO THE END OF MARCH.
UH, WE HAVE FUNDS, WE HAVE PRIVATE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN PLEDGED AND ARE COLLECTIBLE, AND WE EXPECT TO HAVE THOSE COLLECTED, BUT IT STOPS IF WE CAN'T GET THAT DONE.
UH, PEOPLE HAVE MADE THOSE PLEDGES AND ARE QUESTIONING, OKAY, NOW WHEN ARE WE GONNA SIGN OUR AGREEMENTS AND DEPOSIT BECOMES, WE NEED TO HAVE THE TOWN'S PARTNERSHIP TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
SO FINALLY, I JUST, UH, UH, SUGGEST WE HAVE CRITICAL PATH UP THERE AND IT TRULY IS A CRITICAL PATH.
SO WE REALLY IMPLORE YOU TO TAKE THE FISCAL 24 PLAN AND PUT THIS IN ACTION SO WE HAVE YOUR FUNDS.
WE CAN CLOSE ON THE REST OF THE UNITS AND WE CAN GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED FOR THE OTHER 80% THAT'S REQUIRED.
I WILL BRING IT BACK TO
MR. GRU, ARE YOU MS. GOOD? YES, SIR.
UM, DO WE WANT TO HEAR FROM MR. GRUBER AS FAR AS A PROPOSED MOTION FOR US TO TAKE ACTION ON? IS THAT OKAY WITH
COUNCIL, WHAT IS THE QUESTION? THE, THE PROGRAM CALLS FOR A 99 YEAR COVENANT, UH, MAINTAINING IT AS RENTAL PROPERTY, BUT IT ALSO, THE PROGRAM ALLOWS A SALE OF A UNIT PROVIDED THAT THE PROCEEDS ARE REINVESTED.
AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT THE EVENT OF SALE OF A UNIT, THE COVENANT, THE 99 COVENANT WOULD EXPIRE OR EXTINGUISH ITSELF.
I'M JUST SAYING, IS THAT POSSIBLE? DEPENDS ON HOW THE COVENANT IS WRITTEN.
UM, IF, IF WHO YOU WROTE IT
AND, AND, AND, AND WHO, WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO ENFORCE IT FOR THAT MATTER? SO YOU'RE SAYING IT CAN BE CRAFTED? YES.
SO BASED UPON WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY, THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT I WOULD PROPOSE TO PUT IN THE DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TERMS. THE FIRST IS LANGUAGING, UH, LANGUAGE CLARIFYING THAT THEIR QUALIFICATION AND ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATIONS WILL BE DONE ON AN ANNUALLY REOCCURRING BASIS.
AND THEN THE SECOND IS CLARIFYING THAT FUNDING WOULD BE PROVIDED ON A DRAWDOWN BASIS, NOT JUST UPFRONT.
ANNUALLY REFUNDING, UH, MEANS UPON EXPIRATION OF AN ANNUAL LEASE, CORRECT? ANNUAL LEASE, YES.
SO WE WOULDN'T SAY A SPECIFIC DATE BECAUSE THE LEASES MAY BE ENTERED INTO INDIVIDUALLY, BUT THAT LEASE WOULD HAVE TO BE REEVALUATED ANNUALLY.
AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS, AND I WOULD NEED DIRECTION FROM THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, THE QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE PREFERENCE LANGUAGE AS IT STANDS NOW, THE LANGUAGE SAYS NO PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN THE CC D C'S REQUESTING THAT THAT BE AMENDED TO BE IN LINE WITH THEIR FUNDRAISING, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR PREFERENCE TO BE GIVEN ON
[01:35:01]
A ONE FOR ONE BASIS.ONE PREFERENCE FOR, FOR FUNDS THAT ARE PROVIDED, ONE, UH, UNIT THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
I, I RAISED THAT QUESTION LAST MONTH.
UM, I WOULD SUPPORT ADDING THAT LANGUAGE TO IT, BUT I ALSO HEARD MR. WOLF SAY THAT HE WOULD LIKE THE TOWN INVOLVED.
AND I THINK THAT TO THE EXTENT THE TOWN IS, UH, CONTRIBUTING MONEY TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL ENDEAVOR, I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT THE TOWN SHOULD HAVE THE CONVERSATION THAT SAYS THIS IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THE TOWN.
DOES THAT MEAN A PREFERENCE WOULD BE GIVEN TO AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWN IF THAT THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS AND SO FORTH? I WOULD PRESUME SO, BUT UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO FLESH THAT IDEA OUT.
SO WE WOULD CLARIFY THAT LANGUAGE TO SAY THAT THE SELECTION OF OCCUPANTS FOR THOSE UNITS WOULD BE BASED ON FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED BY THE TOWN ON A ONE-TO-ONE BASIS.
DOES THAT ACCURATELY REFLECT IT? OKAY.
SO THOSE WOULD BE THE THREE AMENDMENTS THAT WE WOULD THEN PUT INTO THE DRAFT TWO AND MOVE FORWARD TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO THE MOTION WOULD BE, UH, MOVING TO APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FORWARD WITH THOSE THREE AMENDMENTS.
I JUST WANNA SAY, AS I SAID BEFORE, THAT WORKFORCE HOUSING IS A CRITICAL ISSUE, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE OTHER CREATIVE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED BY OTHERS.
WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THESE THAT WE CAN TO WORK THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING ISSUE.
AND I THINK THIS IS A VALUABLE WAY TO DO THAT.
READY FOR THE QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR? OH, I'M SORRY.
MS. AL ALFRED, THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE, WE AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL ARE APPROACHING THIS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, WORKFORCE HOUSING IS A PUBLIC PURPOSE.
THE COUNTY, THE COUNCIL HAS DETERMINED THAT THE STATE SEEMS TO AGREE.
UM, SECOND OF ALL, YOU MADE CLEAR THAT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS PURPOSE.
UH, IT WOULD BE VERY NICE IF IT COULD BE FINANCED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT THAT ISN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS MADE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.
BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE THE COMPLETE ANSWER, UH, TO THIS SITUATION.
THE TOWN AND PUBLIC FUNDS HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE PROGRESS ON DEALING WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THIS IS A VARIATION OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF APPROACH TO TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
I THINK WE ALL UP HERE AND PERHAPS IN THE AUDIENCE AGREE THAT A VARIETY OF APPROACHES IS, IS NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM.
UM, WHAT, WHAT WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING TODAY IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILS AND LEGISLATIVE BODIES HAVE TO ENGAGE IN ON A REGULAR BASIS, WHICH IS DETERMINING WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BE.
WE ARE, IN A SENSE, ENGAGING IN PROGNOSTICATION.
WE HAVE OUR CRYSTAL BALLS AS TO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE HAVE THEIR CRYSTAL BALLS AS WHAT THEY THINK IS GONNA HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
THIS EFFORT IS PART, GATHER THE THOUGHTS OF WHAT PEOPLE'S CRYSTAL BALLS SHOW.
AND MR. GRUBER HAS SUMMARIZED THE ADDITIONS THAT HAVE COME OUT TODAY.
UH, DO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA WORK? WE KNOW WHAT'S GONNA FAIL? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
YOU CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE THAT THINGS IN CERTAIN REGARDS WILL NOT WORK.
'CAUSE WE'RE PROGNOSTICATING ABOUT THE FUTURE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND TRY THIS OUT.
UM, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE SO FAR IN THE MONTHS THAT THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING, UH, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE A FULL YEAR WITH TOWN FUNDING, UH, TO SEE HOW IT GOES, FIND THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED.
WE'LL FIND THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT AND SO FORTH, BUT WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA TRY IT TO SEE WHAT THE SITUATION IS.
NONE OF US IS GONNA GET THE FUTURE.
[01:40:01]
GIVEN US TWO DIFFERENT FISCAL YEARS.IS IT FEASIBLE TO WORK THIS THROUGH IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR? I SEE YOU'VE GOT DATES DOWN HERE, BUT IN A PRACTICAL WORLD, CAN IT WORK? YES, SIR.
SO IF THE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT FUNDING BE PROVIDED FROM STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES, THEN YES, WE CAN DO IT THIS YEAR.
BUT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT THAT AS PART OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT.
BUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO IT WITHIN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
LET'S DEAL WITH THE MOTION ON THE TABLE, WHICH IS TO BRING FORTH THE RECOMMENDATION TOWN COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ADJUSTMENT THAT MR. GRU HAS MADE, WHICH HAS BEEN PROPERLY, UH, MOVED AND SECOND.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT PIECE? NO.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
NOW, TO COUNCILMAN STANFORD'S POINT, THE PATH THAT YOU HAVE, UH, ON DISPLAY HERE, MR. GRUBER, UM, THE PLEASURE AMONGST THE COMMITTEE ON THIS.
I WOULD SAY THAT IF IT'S PRACTICAL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TRY AND GET IT DONE IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THAT'S THE REASON I ASK THE QUESTION.
I'M NOT SEEKING DELAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DELAY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO IMPOSE ON US AND ON UNREASONABLE SCHEDULE.
YOU MAKING THAT AS A MOTION, MR. SAND? YES.
I WOULD MOVE TO DO IT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
[6.c. Consideration of Resolution Authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding with Habitat for Humanity to Support Workforce Housing - Josh Gruber, Deputy Town Manager]
CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION AND AUTHORIZING THE MEMORANDUM UNDERSTANDING WITH HABITAT FOR AMENITY TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE HOUSING.I UNDERSTAND THAT HABITAT HAS A PRESENTATION THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
GIVE YOU A BREAK, MR. GRU, AND HAVE THIS DOOLEY APPROACH.
I WILL MAKE THIS A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR HAVING US BACK AND, AND HOPEFULLY WITH, UH, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ANSWERED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT HAVE BEEN SPELLED OUT.
NOW, THANK YOU TO JOSH FOR GETTING THAT TAKEN CARE OF IN, IN THE MOU.
UM, I, I HOPE THAT WE CAN MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
I REALLY JUST WANNA FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF SLIDES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
'CAUSE YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THESE IN THE PAST.
UM, THIS IS MY, MY SIMPLE LITTLE JIGSAW PUZZLE HERE THAT GIVES YOU SOME OF THE BASICS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE OUR PROGRAM WORK.
UM, I I WANNA TALK ABOUT FAMILIES FOR JUST A SECOND BECAUSE I'VE HEARD SOME COMMENTS MADE HERE TODAY ABOUT WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE AND, AND WHO ARE WE SERVING AND, AND DO THEY DESERVE TO BE SERVED.
UM, THESE ARE HARDWORKING FAMILIES THAT WE SELECT TO BE IN OUR PROGRAM.
THEY GO THROUGH A MORTGAGE APPLICATION PROCESS, JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM THAT HAS A MORTGAGE.
UM, THEY QUALIFY FOR THAT TO COME INTO OUR PROGRAM.
THEY ARE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING IN YOUR, IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR DOCTOR'S OFFICES, IN OUR GROCERY STORES.
THEY'RE FAMILIES WHO HAVE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES TO, UM, CLEAN HOMES HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
DO HOME REPAIRS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT THEY'RE HARDWORKING FAMILIES, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO BE IN OUR PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE OTHER REASON THAT WE'RE HERE, THE, THOSE THREE PIECES UP AT THE TOP.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR VOLUNTEERS.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR DONORS.
SOME OF THEM ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
WE, WE ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH FOLKS COMING TO US LOOKING FOR HOUSING.
IT'S THE LAND THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH RIGHT NOW AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE WITH.
SO SINCE THE LAST MEETING WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MOU, THE THINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE WE'VE CLARIFIED THAT JOSH HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO THE MOU FOR US IS THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING ON THE ISLAND.
UM, WE'VE CLARIFIED THAT OUR MORTGAGE DOCUMENT DOES HAVE SPECIFICALLY IN IT THAT HABITAT HAS THE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL.
UM, OUR FAMILIES WILL DO THEIR SWEAT EQUITY HOURS AND, AND PUT THEIR PIECE INTO, UH, MAKING THIS PROGRAM WORK.
THEY'LL BE TAKING THOSE CLASSES ON HOME OWNERSHIP SKILLS TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL HOMEOWNERS.
AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE AN AFFORDABLE MORTGAGE, UM, THAT THEY REPAY TO HABITAT, WHICH WE REINVEST IN FUTURE HOUSES FOR FAMILIES.
AND THEN, UH, A QUESTION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP LAST TIME ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, UM, THAT'S PART OF OUR COVENANT THAT, THAT THEY CAN'T BE USED AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THIS THE LAST TIME, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH IT THIS TIME EITHER.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE'RE HERE, WE'VE BEEN HERE, WE'RE HERE WILLING TO WORK.
WE HAVE A MODEL THAT DOES WORK SUCCESSFULLY,
[01:45:01]
AND WE FEEL LIKE WITH THE TOWN, UM, PARTNERING WITH THE TOWN, WE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE AT IT AND, AND DO MORE OF QUESTIONS.HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. DOOLEY BEFORE MR. GRUBA COMES UP TO, UH, ENTERTAIN THE DETAILS OF THE MOU? YES, I, I'LL JUST REPEAT SOMETHING THAT MR HAS HEARD FIVE OR SIX TIMES BEFORE, BUT IT'S JUST IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO SAY THAT THE SITE PLAN AND NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE ON A PIECE OF GROUND THAT IN EFFECT THE TOWN IS BUYING, IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT VARIATION OF THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THE EMPHASIS IS GOING TO BE ON MULTI-FAMILY, NOT SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGS.
IT, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE ARE LOOKING AT.
YES, IT CAN, CAN GO EITHER WAY, DEPENDING ON THE PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE CAN DO.
MY STANDPOINT, FROM THE VIEW OF THE TOWN, WE WANT THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK ABSOLUTELY.
WE CAN, IF WE CAN HAVE MULTI-FAMILY ON THIS PROPERTY INSTEAD OF JUST SINGLE FAMILY, WE'LL HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT.
MAKE SURE WE'RE USING THE RIGHT TERMS. MULTI-FAMILY CAN BE A TOWNHOUSE THAT FITS WITH THE DENSITY OF THE ZONING.
SO AGAIN, WE'LL JUST COVER SOME QUICK HISTORY AND BACKGROUND.
THE INTENDED USE OF THE FUNDS UNDER THIS, UH, REQUEST THE MEM AND OF UNDERSTANDING BOTH THE INITIAL TERMS THAT WERE PRESENTED, THE REVISIONS THAT WERE REQUESTED AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, THE POLICY QUESTIONS THAT THIS BODY WILL NEED TO ADDRESS IF IT WANTS TO MOVE THIS ITEM FORWARD FOR FURTHER ACTION TOWN COUNCIL.
AND AGAIN, THOSE PROCEDURAL STEPS.
SO THERE'S SOME OVERLAP, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES THAT I WANNA DISCUSS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR, UM, REQUEST.
SO, AGAIN, AS PART OF BACKGROUND, UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE HILTON HAD REGIONAL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY APPLIED TO RECEIVE FUNDING AS AN AFFILIATED AGENCY.
AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, COUNCIL DID NOT RECOMMEND ANY FUNDING AT THE TIME THAT THE APPLICATION WAS RECEIVED OR AS PART OF THE 2024 BUDGET ADOPTION.
HOWEVER, SHORTLY, UM, AFTER THAT, AS THE BUDGET WAS BEING ADOPTED, ACT 57 WAS ADOPTED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND THAT'S WHAT CREATED THE MECHANISM TO USE STATE AND LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING PURPOSES.
SO FOLLOWING THAT ACTION, STAFF WAS REQUESTED TO DEVELOP A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE HILTON HEAD REGIONAL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, UH, TO PURSUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, WE BROUGHT AN INITIAL DRAFT OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FORWARD TO THIS BODY AT ITS DECEMBER 19TH MEETING.
AND AT THAT MEETING, WE RECEIVED COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK ON THE TERMS OF THAT AGREEMENT.
UM, HABITATS REQUESTED $500,000 TO BE UTILIZED TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF LAND WHERE THEY WOULD BUILD, UH, AFFORDABLE HOMES, HABITAT HOSTS TO DEVELOP SOMEWHERE BETWEEN EIGHT TO 10 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
UH, AND THAT WAS ON A ONE ACRE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
SO CLEARLY THE INTENT IS TO TRY TO GET THAT BANG FOR THE BUCK, UM, TO BECOME A FAMILY PARTNER, THE FAMILY MUST MAKE BETWEEN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 TO 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME MUST GO THROUGH AN INTENSIVE APPLICATION PROCESS, ATTEND HOME OWNERSHIP CLASSES, AND PERFORM AT LEAST 300 HOURS OF SWEAT EQUITY.
AND AT THE COMPLETION OF THE BILL, THEY PURCHASED THE HOME WITH A NO INTEREST MORTGAGE, WHICH IS A MONTHLY PAYMENT, UH, AT 30% OR LESS OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
SO AGAIN, THE PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OF WANTING TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE HOUSING ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THIS, UH, DOCUMENT.
SO HABITAT WILL USE THE FUNDING THAT ACQUIRE, UH, MAY RECEIVE TO ACQUIRE LAND AND DEVELOP RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
UM, HABITAT WILL WORK WITH STAFF, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED EARLIER TODAY.
AND WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING NOW IS THIS IS GOING TO BE MORE OF A TRUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TOWN AND HABITAT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA USE STAFF THAT WE HAVE BOTH IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, MR. QUINCY WHITES JUST RECENTLY JOINED US AS OUR, UH, HOUSING, UH, LEAD.
AND SO HE'S GONNA PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART IN HELPING THEM WITH REGARDS TO SITE SELECTION.
AND THEN ONCE WE'VE DONE SITE SELECTION DESIGN, THAT COULD BE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, DUPLEXES, QUADS, WHATEVER MAKES SENSE IN TERMS OF WHERE THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AND GIVEN ITS SURROUNDINGS.
BUT WE WILL WORK WITH THEM HAND IN GLOVE IN PERFORMING THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS, UH, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF HOW THIS IS GONNA GO FORWARD AS COMPARED TO THE AGREEMENT WITH THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, AGAIN, UNDER THE FIRST DRAFT, HABITAT WILL
[01:50:01]
PREPARE AND SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT IDENTIFYING HOW THE FUNDING, UH, IS GONNA BE USED.AND THEY WILL, UM, AGAIN, WORK WITH US JOINTLY TO DEVELOP A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION.
UM, WE'LL REVIEW THAT AND APPROVE IT ACCORDINGLY THROUGH OUR NORMAL REVIEW PROCESSES.
UM, THEY'RE GOING TO IDENTIFY THE NATURE AND EXTENT TO WHICH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNIT SEEKS TO BE CREATED WILL BE MAINTAINED IN THE DURATION OF TIME.
AGAIN, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT, BECAUSE THIS IS A HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM, THAT THEY SELL THE UNITS TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, THEY THEN MANAGE THEM DURING THEIR OCCUPATION OF THOSE UNITS.
UH, BUT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSALS THAT ANY TIME WHILE THOSE RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE, HABITAT DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME BACK IN AND RE RETAKE OWNERSHIP, UH, OF THOSE UNITS AND ENSURE THAT THE AFFORDABILITY STANDARDS ARE MAINTAINED.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THEN HAVING THEM PROVIDE, UH, INFORMATION TO US ANNUALLY, WHICH WOULD HELP US TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT PROGRAM, UM, AND HOW THE FUNDING HAS BEEN USED.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO, UH, HAVE THE ABILITY, IF IT WERE BREACHED, TO, UH, REGAIN THOSE FUNDS AGAIN UNDER A CONTRACTUAL BASIS, NOT AS A PRIORITY LIEN AS A MORTGAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO AT THE DECEMBER 19TH MEETING, WE WERE REQUESTED TO ADD THE FOLLOWING, UH, ITEMS INTO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
SO WE'VE ADDED LANGUAGE REQUIRING ACTIVE EMPLOYMENT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS A CONDITION OF SELECTION FOR ANY WORKFORCE HOUSING UNIT CREATED UNDER THIS MEMORANDUM, WE INSERTED VINIFICATION LANGUAGE TO PERFECT THE TOWN FROM LIABILITY, UH, ARISING UNDER THE MEMORANDUM.
UH, WE CLARIFIED THAT THE FUNDING IS GOING TO BE PROVIDED ON A DRAWDOWN BASIS.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM DIRECTLY.
SITE SELECTION, DRAW DOWN, DESIGN, DRAW DOWN, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL KIND OF WORK TOGETHER.
UH, AND THEN WE REVISE THE APPLICABLE A MI RANGES SO THAT IT MATCHED THE EXISTING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS THAT HABITAT CURRENTLY OFFERS, WHICH IS 30 TO 80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
UM, SO AGAIN, THE POLICY QUESTIONS FOR YOU AS A BODY TO MOVE THIS ITEM FORWARD WOULD BE FIRST TO IDENTIFY, UM, THE, UH, TERMS WITHIN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UH, THE SECOND WOULD THEN TO, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UNDERSTAND THE TIMING.
IF THIS IS GOING TO BE FUNDING, IS IT GOING TO BE PROVIDED UNDER THE CURRENT, UH, BUDGET, SIMILAR TO THAT SAME TIMEFRAME THAT WAS PROVIDED TO, UM, UH, COASTAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION? OR WILL THIS BE PROVIDED AS PART OF THE FY 25 AFFILIATED AGENCY PROCESS? AND THEN LASTLY, UM, THE DETERMINATION OF WHAT VALUE WILL BE INCLUDED OR PROVIDED TO THEM AS A RECOMMENDATION OF TOWN COUNCIL.
SO IN THE MOU, THERE IS NO FUNDING THAT IS STATED THAT IS THEN INCLUDED WITHIN THE AFFILIATED AGENCY APPLICATION.
AND THERE'S ONE PENDING BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR DISCUSSION, UH, AS PART OF AN FY 24 TIMELINE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. LER, UH, IN YOUR DRAW DOWN PROVISIONS, I'M TALKING ABOUT DRAWING DOWN AS NEEDED.
I WAS THINKING THAT THIS, THESE FUNDS WOULD BE USED TOWARDS PURCHASE OF THE LAND, SO IT'D BE NEEDED AT THE TIME OF CLOSING.
I MEAN, I, SO WE DON'T HAVE A PIECE OF LAND YET.
WE DON'T KNOW SOME OF THOSE SPECIFIC DETAILS, BUT IT VERY WELL COULD BE THAT THAT'S HOW IT PLAYS OUT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY THAT THEN, IN TERMS OF THE 23 OR 24 QUESTION, SINCE A PARCEL OF LAND APPARENTLY HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REASON TO PUSH THIS THROUGH TO THE 23 APPROVALS OR, THAT WOULD BE MY OPINION.
UM, JOSH, UH, ARE WE RESTRICTING IT TO THE USE, UH, THE USE TO, UH, PURCHASE OF LAND? NO.
EXCLUSIVELY, IT, IT, IT COULD BE BEYOND THE PURCHASE OF LAND.
SO LET'S SAY WE'RE ABLE TO PURCHASE LAND FOR $250,000 AND YOU ULTIMATELY RECOMMEND AND COUNCIL AWARDS $500,000.
THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS THE DESIGN OF THE UNITS ON THE, UH, PARCEL AND ANY OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT GO TOWARDS ACTUALLY CREATING THOSE UNITS.
SO IT DEPENDS, OR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT COULD BE CONSUMED BY THE ACTUAL ACQUISITION OF LAND.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE ROLE OF TOWN WOULD BE IN SITE SELECTION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPMENT.
IS THERE ANTICIPATED MORE RESPONSIBILITY OR INVOLVEMENT OF THE TOWN AFTER THAT? UH, YES.
I THINK PROBABLY UP TO, UM, AND POTENTIALLY EVEN BEYOND THROUGH OUR, OUR, UM, SERVICE WORK, UH, IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY DEVELOPING THE UNIT.
SO SITE SELECTION AND DESIGN IS REALLY WHERE WE'RE GONNA PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN WORKING WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY WHERE'S IT GONNA BE LOCATED AND WHAT'S GONNA GO THERE.
A LOT OF THE ACTUAL, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF IT IS HANDLED THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES OF HABITAT.
BUT AGAIN, THE TOWN COULD BE INVOLVED IN THAT FROM A VOLUNTEER ASPECT.
SO BEYOND THE REQUESTED 500,000, THERE IS A COMMITMENT ON STAFF TIME GOING FORWARD? YES, SIR.
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MUCH BELIEVE THAT IS OUR INTENT.UM, JUST I THINK FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC, WHO'S HERE IN PUBLIC, WHO'S WATCHING, HOW MUCH HAS THE TOWN BEEN INVOLVED WITH HABITAT IN THE PAST? BOY, MS. DOOLEY CAN ADDRESS THAT OR SOMETHING.
I I, I CAN SPEAK, I KNOW I HUNG A COUPLE ROOF TRUSSES, UH, LAST YEAR.
SO
I THINK MS. DOOLEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME UP.
THE GLEN WAS PROVIDED BY THE TOWN, THE LAND.
SO THAT PROPERTY OVER TO SOUTH OF MARSHLAND WAS PROVIDED BY THE TOWN TO US.
WE THEN PROVIDED ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN DID THE FUNDRAISING FOR EACH HOUSE AS WE BUILT IT AS JOSH MASON.
I KNOW MARK CAN SAY HE WAS ON THE FLOOR PAINTING HOUSES TOO,
SO, UM, THEY HAVE COME OUT SEVERAL TIMES AND VOLUNTEERED WITH US.
COUNCIL CAME OUT AND A COUPLE OF TIMES AND, AND VOLUNTEERED WITH US.
HOW MANY ACRES WAS THAT? UH, 14.
SO IN TODAY'S PRICES, 14 ACRES WOULD BE A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER.
WE'RE TALKING LAND VALUES SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 250 AND $500,000 TODAY.
SO OUR EXPECTATION IS WE MIGHT GET AN ACRE OR TWO THAT CONTRAST PRETTY DRAMATICALLY FROM THE 14.
I'VE GOT AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
UM, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS, MR. OKAY.
UM, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH A MOTION, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR, SIR? GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M THE DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
IT'S NICE TO, UH, SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN.
MY FAMILY IS ACTUALLY, UH, SOMEBODY, UM, IN MY FAMILY HAS LIVED HERE SINCE 1951.
UH, WHETHER MATERNAL OR PATERNAL SIDE.
SO, UM, AS I SAID LAST TIME, WE HAVE MANY DONORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING TO THE BUILDING OF HOUSES ON HILTON HOOD.
I WRITE ABOUT 15 TO 20 GRANTS PER YEAR.
A KEY QUESTION ON ANY APP ON MOST APPLICATIONS IS, WILL THE MONEY FOR THIS GRANT BE LEVERAGED TO MAKE MORE, TO RAISE MORE MONEY? I HOPE YOU'RE ALSO ASKING THAT QUESTION OF US.
'CAUSE THE ANSWER IS AN ASTOUNDING YES.
I CAN PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEE YOU THAT.
ONCE WE FIND THE, THE GET THE FUNDS, EXCUSE ME.
ONCE WE GET THE LAND, WE WILL FIND THE FUNDS DIRECTLY TO BUILD HOUSES.
PEOPLE LOVE TO, TO SPONSOR THESE HOMES, TO BUILD A HOUSE.
IT COST US A LITTLE MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BUILDING RIGHT NOW.
THAT AMOUNT IS WHAT OUR HOME BUYERS, OR OUR FAMILY PARTNERS, AS WE LIKE TO CALL THEM, WILL PURCHASE THE HOUSE FOR.
WE THEN DEVELOP A MORTGAGE THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEM AND THAT IS AFFORDABLE.
AND FOR MANY FAMILIES WITH ESCROW INCLUDED, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT A LITTLE OVER $500 A MONTH STAYING WELL BELOW THEIR 30% OF THEIR INCOME.
NO ONE CAN DEVELOP A HOME THAT INEXPENSIVELY BESIDES HABITAT.
THE FAMILIES WE SERVE, AS WENDA TALKED ABOUT, ARE WORKING CLASS FAMILIES.
THEY'RE GOING TO INVEST THEIR TIME AND ENERGY IN MAKING HILTON HEAD ISLAND A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
THE REASON PEOPLE INVEST IN OUR PROGRAM IS THAT THEY KNOW THEY ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF FAMILIES WHO CALL THIS AREA HOME.
PEOPLE CAN SEE SOMETHING THEY CAN DRIVE BY AND SAY, AND AS THEY DRIVE BY, THEY SAY, I HELPED BUILD THAT.
OUR DONORS WANNA DRIVE BY AND SEE THAT AS WELL.
GENTLEMEN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON THIS AS WELL AS THE FUNDING, AND SO THAT YOU CAN THEN DRIVE BY THE HOMES BUILT THERE AND SAY TO YOURSELF, I HELPED BUILD THAT HOUSE, THAT VIETNAM.
YES, MS. LEE, I'VE GOT MS. LEE BEFORE YOU.
I'M PUZZLED ACTUALLY BY YOUR VOTE ON THE C-C-D-C-M-O-U BECAUSE YOU LEFT OUT TWO IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT'S STILL NOT VERY CLEAR TO ME.
NUMBER ONE IS MS. GRUBER MENTIONED WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE A MI RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TWO DEFINITIONS.
ONE IS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY INCOME LIMITS, WHICH IS A TABLE SET
[02:00:01]
OUT BY HUD.ANOTHER DEFINITION IS THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
IT'S ALSO SET OUT BY HUD, BUT IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONCEPT.
SO, WHICH A MI I'M TALKING ABOUT WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I'M SURPRISED THAT MRS. GOBER DIDN'T MENTION THAT AND SAY, THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING IN THE AMENDMENT.
THE SECOND IMPORTANT ITEM IS THE INCOME DISTRIBUTION.
IN YOUR LANGUAGE, YOU SAY NO LESS THAN 30%.
AND MR. WOLF EXPLAINED TO YOU THEIR ALLOCATION.
OUT OF THE 13 MODEL OR 13 PROPERTIES, THREE UNITS, UNITS WILL BE 120%, FOUR UNITS WILL BE AT 50%, AND THEN SIX UNITS WILL BE AT 80%.
SO WHERE IS THE 30%? MI? SO WHY ARE YOU EVEN BOTHER TO WRITE IN YOUR M-O-A-M-O-U IF THE DISTRIBUTION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE 30% A, UH, A MI? SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST APPROVED, AND THAT'S WHY I WANNA MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT THAT.
THE SECOND THING IS, I WAS A LITTLE BIT OFFENDED BY THE EARLIER COMMENT THAT PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM ARE NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT BY THE HOUSING CRISIS.
NONE OF US, AT LEAST ME, I WAS NOT BORN WITH A FILLER SPOON IN MY MOUTH.
I CAME FROM CHINA, AS YOU KNOW, I COMMUTED EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY, TWO HOURS TO NEW YORK CITY FOR A LONG TIME AFTER I FINISHED GRADUATE SCHOOL.
SO DON'T TELL ME THAT I'M NOT SUFFERING FROM THIS, BECAUSE NOW I RELY ON MY RETIREMENT INCOME.
PEOPLE HERE IN THIS ROOM A NEGATIVE IMPACT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES, INSURANCE TAXES, WE PAY HIGHER GROCERY, UH, UH, PAYMENT, AS WELL AS, UH, HEALTHCARE.
JUST BECAUSE HILTON HEAD IS EXPENSIVE, WE ALSO HAVE TO PAY $450 MILLION OF SCHOOL BOND.
AND THEN JUST MONTHS AGO, THE COUNTY COUNCIL ASKED TO PROVE A 15 YEAR PLANNING TAXES ON INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
SO BEFORE YOU DO OUT OUR MONEY, PLEASE THINK WHAT IT MEANS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING TAXES.
AND OUR MONEY IS SPREAD TOO, TOO THIN, ESPECIALLY ON HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
THERE ARE SEVEN PROPERTIES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT WERE SOLD FOR $275,000.
THOSE HOUSES ARE THE ONES THAT WE PAID TO FUND THEIR INVESTMENTS.
MY FRIEND JUST BOUGHT A HOUSE IN MARCH SITE THAT HE PAID $250,000 WITH ZERO GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES.
SO WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS AND FACULTY? THANK YOU.
OKAY, THANK YOU MS. LEE, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BUSINESS FOR 40 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF HILLHEAD ISLAND FOR 25 YEARS.
UH, IT'S BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO BE ON THE HABITAT BOARD IN THE LAST THREE YEARS AND, AND TO SEE THE PRIDE AND SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT COMES WITH HOME OWNERSHIP.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOUR SUPPORT OF THE MOU AND I THINK WE'D BE GOOD PARTNERS IN THE HILLHEAD ISLAND FOR TWO BASIC REASONS.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, ONE IS, UH, IS ESSENTIALLY THE ECONOMIC ISSUE.
AND WITH OUR BUSINESS MODEL, WE CAN PUT SOMEWHERE IN A BRAND NEW HOME, UH, FOR PRINCIPAL INTEREST, PEPSI INSURANCE, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FIVE AND $600 A MONTH.
THAT'S, THAT'S, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THAT'S ROUGHLY HALF OF WHAT YOU CAN RENT FOR.
AND YOU HAVE THE PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP ALONG YOU ALONG THAT WAY.
I THINK HOME OWNERSHIP GENERALLY PROMOTES THE MORE STABLE AND PERMANENT, UH, WORKFORCE.
AND, UH, FOR THOSE REASONS, I ASK YOUR SUPPORT.
NEXT, MS. TURNER, THE, THE GENTLEMAN IN THE BACK WAS FOR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR INDULGING ME AGAIN, GENTLEMEN, CHARLES CALLEN.
UM, JUST WANTED A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.
MAYBE QUESTIONS YOUR THOUGHTS AND MAYBE YOU MIGHT WANNA LOOK INTO.
I GET VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, UH, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.
GETTING INVOLVED WITH GOVERNMENT.
UM, AND IN, IN MY CAREER, HAVING BEEN INVOLVED WITH BOTH, UH, COMMERCIAL ENDEAVORS, CERTAINLY MANY CHARITIES, UM, I GET VERY CONCERNED WHEN I SEE THESE MONEY START TO BEING MIXED.
UM, THERE, THERE GETS TO BE A LOT OF MISSION CREEP AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MAY SEEM TO BE VERY ALTRUISTIC WHEN THEY'RE GIVING TO VARIOUS THINGS LIKE 5 0 1 3 CSS, REALLY DOING THIS FOR A TAX BREAK, UM, AND TRYING TO GET TO MAKE THEMSELVES FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND, AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT DOESN'T WORK OUT REALLY WELL.
AND THEN THE FOCUS OF WHATEVER CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION HAS LONG SAYS, LONG LOST SIGHT OF WHAT IT WAS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
[02:05:01]
UH, I'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF THINGS HERE ABOUT THESE 13 LOCATIONS.YOU KNOW, WHO DECIDED, UM, WHAT THESE 13 JOBS OR WHATEVER THESE FOLKS MIGHT BE DOING, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE THAT IMPACTFUL THAT THAT SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES THIS MASSIVE LOGISTICAL TRAIN? 'CAUSE I HEAR A LOT OF CONVERSATION, A LOT OF ENTITIES, A LOT OF EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, UH, REPAIRS TO MAINTENANCE, TO DECIDING WHO'S IN HERE AND WHO ISN'T.
THIS IS, THIS IS A MASSIVE ENDEAVOR FOR ARE WE GETTING THE IMPACT THAT WE REALLY THINK WE'RE GONNA GET? AND I'M KIND OF GETTING THAT FEELING THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO.
SO, AGAIN, THAT MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND, AND, AND JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I'LL ADDRESS SOMETHING WE SAID EARLIER.
I DO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GO HOME WITHOUT HEAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE NOT NO HEAT ON IN YOUR HOUSE.
I DO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO MAKE CHOICES ABOUT WHETHER YOU EAT OR WHETHER YOU RENT A MOVIE.
I'M NOT THERE NOW BECAUSE I'VE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD NOT TO BE.
UM, I, I'D EVEN GO AS FAR TO SAY AS, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED IMMIGRATION.
I, I HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO GREW UP WITH FARM ANIMALS IN THE HOUSE TO KEEP BORN.
SO I KNOW WHAT IT'S, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.
SO, UH, WHEN I SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT REALLY, REALLY SETS ME BACK AND MAKES ME CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THIS MONEY GOES AND WHAT IT'S BEING DONE.
AND IT MAY FEEL GOOD, BUT IT'S NOT ACCOMPLISHING WHAT YOU THINK IT'S GONNA ACCOMPLISH.
AGAIN, I GO BACK TO A PRIVATE SECTOR SOLUTION.
WHAT JOBS ARE WE TRYING TO FILL HERE AND HOW COULD WE GET THOSE PEOPLE HERE? AND, AND, AND CERTAINLY THERE IS A, AN ISSUE HERE WITH, UH, WITH GETTING PEOPLE TO WORK, BUT HOW CAN WE DO THAT IN AN ECONOMICAL FASHION? THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR INDULGING MY COMMENTS.
I THINK I GOT CUT OUTTA THE AFFILIATED AGENCY APPROVAL FOR 2024.
UH, SEEMS LIKE YOU QUICKLY THROUGH THAT, SO I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SAY MY COMMENTS REGARDING THAT.
UM, AND THE CCDC IS, UH, LOOKING FOR FUNDING THROUGH THE AFFILIATED AGENT PROGRAM.
UM, THE COMMENTS ARE, I IMAGINE THAT WHEN THE AFFILIATED AGENCY PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED, THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT PUT INTO THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND THE APPLICATION HAS A FINANCIAL STATEMENT REQUIREMENT ASKING FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S BUDGET.
THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS REPORT AND BALANCE SHEET, NO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WERE PROVIDED IN THE PACKAGE, UH, THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PRE-READ DOES NOT HAVE TWO YEARS OF FINANCIAL RESULTS.
SO I WAS ASKING FOR YOU TO NOT APPROVE THE CC FOR THE AFFILIATED AGENCY MODEL AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A MODEL AND DO NOT HAVE THE TWO YEARS OF FINANCIAL RESULTS.
UM, IN, UH, THE LAST TIME I TALKED TO THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT IS THERE ENOUGH FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE CC DC AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY? UM, THERE IS EXHIBIT, THERE IS AN EXHIBIT IN THE PACKAGE THAT LAYS OUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE STATE TAX FUNDS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE EXHIBIT.
UM, THE CALCULATION SHOWS THAT THE 1 MILLION MAX TAX DOLLARS THAT CAN BE USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN FIT WITHIN THE AVAILABLE MONIES.
MAKING A BALANCE OF JUST WANTED TO MAKE POINT THAT THAT'S THE CARRYOVER FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
UH, THE CURRENT ATEX FUNDING WOULDN'T COVER THE ENTIRE COST AND THE FUNDING CARRYOVER IS USED TO FILL THAT GAP.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE THINK ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY FOR ALL OF THE AGENCY AFFILIATED AGENCY PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE.
UH, IN ADDITION, THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR STATE TAX IS RUNNING LOWER THAN LAST YEAR.
UH, JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER IS 3.6% LOWER AND OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER, WHICH IS AN ESTIMATE, UH, FROM YOUR FINANCE AREA IS 11.1% LOWER.
AND IF THAT CONTINUES, THERE WILL BE LESS MONEY AVAILABLE THROUGH AT IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MY FEEDBACK.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THE HABITAT? MOU? YES.
BEFORE I PUT ME ON THE CLOCK, IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO STAND UP.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY TOO HOURS I GOT FAN OR NOT, YOU'D LIKE TO STAND WHILE TALK.
I MOVED MY FAMILY HERE IN 1991 FOR A JOB OPPORTUNITY AND IN 2015 I SOLD MY BUSINESS AND MY WIFE AND I SAID, HEY, THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD PLACE TO RETIRE TO.
UH, MY ENVIRONMENT WITH HABITAT HUMANITIES STARTED WITH FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
[02:10:01]
HAS BUILT FIVE HOMES, UH, OVER THE YEARS AND MY INVOLVEMENT WAS MORE WITH THE LAST TWO HOMES.I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE INHABITANTS OF THOSE HOMES.
I WAS GONNA TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT IAC CONSTS.
HE IS HERE AND HE'S GONNA TALK, SO I'M GOING TO SKIP HIM OVER EXCEPT HE IS A GREAT, UH, HE IS PAYING BACK TO HIS COMMUNITY IN A, IN A LOT OF WAYS.
ONE IS YOU SERVING ON THE HOUSING ACTION COMMITTEE AND, UH, THAT'S GREAT TO SEE.
HABITAT PERSON VOLUNTEERED TO DO THAT.
HOUSE NUMBER TWO THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN WAS A HOME FOR CAROLINA RAMIREZ AND HER THREE CHILDREN.
UH, YEARS BEFORE SHE GOT A HABITAT HOUSE, MY WIFE STARTED TUTORING WITH CAROLINA'S YOUNG, OLDEST CHILD WHO WAS A THIRD GRADER AT HILTON HIGH MIDDLE SCHOOL, HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, TANYA, MY WIFE CONTINUED TUTORING HER THROUGH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, HER SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
HER FAMILY GOT A HABITAT HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO SLEEP WITH HER MOTHER OR GRANDMOTHER.
UH, ALSO THAT YEAR SHE RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS.
SHE GOT THE ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP, UH, TO ATTEND USCB IN A NURSING PROGRAM.
ON HER APPLICATION FOR THAT ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP, SHE SAID, I WANT TO BECOME A NURSE AND WORK WITH THE GERIATRIC COMMUNITY ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THIS APRIL, SHE WILL GRADUATE FROM USCB WITH HONORS AND WE WILL BE A NURSE.
UH, THE OTHER CHILDREN IN THAT FAMILY.
ONE IS WORKING IN FOOD MANAGEMENT.
NOW AFTER GRADUATING HILTON HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'RE GONNA ZOOM HILTON HIGH SCHOOL AND WANTS TO GO INTO VOCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR ELECTRICIAN.
UH, THERE'S THE NEXT FINAL THING I WANT SAY IS A BETTER SUITE.
ONE LAST YEAR HABITAT CREATED A PARTNERSHIP WITH
WELL OVER A HUNDRED FAMILIES APPLIED FOR THAT.
YOU'VE BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THAT.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF INTERVIEWING 27 OF THEM.
THE ONES HERE IN HAD BEEN APPLIED, AND THOSE FAMILIES WILL GET ONE OF THOSE HOMES.
UM, THE, THE SAD PART ABOUT IT, ONE IS A BOOKKEEPER ONE HAS WORKED AT KROGER FOR 14 YEARS.
ONE WORKS IN A PHARMACY AT CVS AND ATTENDS, UH, NURSING SCHOOL AT, UH, COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
ONE IS AN ASSISTANT MANAGER AT AN AUTO PARTS STORE.
ONE WORKS FOR A POOL CLEANING COMPANY AND ONE IS A HAIRSTYLIST.
WHEN THEY MOVE TO HARDY, THEY MAY NOT COME BACK TO HILTON HEAD TO WORK AND WE'RE GONNA LOSE SOME INITIAL MEMBERS OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AS LONG AS WE DELAY PROVIDING THIS HOUSING, OUR WORKFORCE IS HOUSING, OUR WORKFORCE MEMBERS ARE GONNA DECLINE.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
MY NAME IS AX CASTELLANOS AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY.
I JUST COME HERE BEFORE YOU SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE.
YOU PUT A FACE TO THE PRODUCT, THE HABITAT DELIVERS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY AS MR. PAUL HILL SAYS, I AM ONE OF THE RESIDENTS AT THE 14 ACRES THAT YOU GUYS MENTIONED.
I HAVE THE BLESSING OF LIVING IN THE GLEN.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN, WHEN WE WERE BUILDING OUR HOUSES THROUGH VOLUNTEERING, I WAS JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A, IT'S, IT'S JUST SUCH AN IMPRESSION.
SEEING ALL THESE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THESE HOMES.
AS JOSH SAID, THE TOWN HAS COME OVER, YOU HAVE CHURCHES COME OVER, AND THAT'S WHAT HABITAT PROVIDES.
IT GIVES EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THE WORLD.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I COULDN'T FORGET WHERE I COME FROM.
I COME FROM A DREAM WHERE MY DREAM AS A BOY WAS TO WIN A BIKE.
YOU KNOW? AND NOW I HAVE A HOUSEHOLD.
I CANNOT FORGET WHERE I COME FROM ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY I JOINED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
'CAUSE I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I CANNOT STAND ON THE SILENCE.
I GOTTA BE A PART OF THE CHANGE THAT MOVES FORWARD.
AND I PUT THAT EVERY DAY INTO MY KIDS' LIFE.
I TELL ME EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA GET AN OPPORTUNITY AND YOU GOTTA BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WANNA SEE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT NUMBERS, BUT IT'S THE IMPACT.
IT'S THE EVERLASTING IMPACT THAT YOU MAKE ON A GENERATION.
NOW, THE ONE THAT COMES AFTER US AND THE, IT CONTINUES CYCLE.
SO I WOULD, UM, JUST ASK YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER
UH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT.
I KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE BILL THE GLEN OUT AND, BUT IT'S TIME AND IT'S DUE AND IT'S NEEDED.
UM, I'M THRILLED THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING HABITAT, UM, FOR FUNDING AND I WANTED TO MAKE THAT, I WANTED TO STAND UP AND BE ABLE TO SAY THAT HABITAT HAS NEARLY A 50 YEAR TRACK RECORD OF HELPING, ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE, MORE THAN 59 PEOPLE, MILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
THEY HAVE PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS OF MINIMIZING SIDE EFFECTS IN TERMS IN MEANING THAT THEY'VE CONSIDERED ALL THE OPTIONS OF WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE, AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO VET OUT ALL THE QUESTIONS AND ISSUES THAT
[02:15:01]
WE'VE PARTIALLY DISCUSSED IN, UH, LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS FOR WORKFORCE FRAUD, ESPECIALLY WITHIN GOVERNMENT, IS RAMPANT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.THERE'S ESTIMATES OF $12 BILLION BEING TAKEN OUT OF FRAUDULENTLY SPENT FROM TAXPAYER MONEY.
UM, JUST, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT LOCAL WOULD BE, BUT I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, FRAUD IS A REAL ISSUE.
THAT WHEN PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW MONEY IS BEING SPENT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T CARE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THERE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR LET'S SPEND OUR MONEY.
WELL, AND LET'S THINK ABOUT ALL THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES THAT WE CAN IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THEM.
THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND THE C-D-C-C-D-C PROPOSAL IS THE 99 YEAR RESTRICTION.
AS A REALTOR, I'VE LOOKED UP SOME OF THE RESALES THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH HABITAT HOUSES ON THE ROAD.
AND WHILE YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO HAVE THEIR DREAM HOUSE FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN HAVE IT, THE GOAL OF HOME OWNERSHIP IS VERY REAL TO ME.
AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO BUILD FAMILIES, BUILD WEALTH, BUILD COMMUNITY, BUILD SO MANY THINGS.
UM, A PERSON AND VOLUNTEER HOURS IS ALSO ABLE THAT PROPERTY, NOT MINIMIZING THE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD OR ELSE, BUT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD THEIR LEGACY AND THEIR LIVES.
AND I THINK THAT'S A HUGE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE.
AS WE WE'RE CALLING ALL HANDS ON DECK TO SOLVE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THE LAST THING I WANNA MENTION IS THAT, UM, WE HAVE A NATIONAL PROBLEM OF INFLATION, WHICH HAS TOTALLY EXACERBATED OUR WORKFORCE ISSUE.
I I GET, I'M NOT MINIMIZING THAT AS ONE PERSON STOOD UP AND, AND, AND REALLY SQUASHED.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO HELP US NOT SL JUDGMENTS ON OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS BEST AND WE BUILD EACH OTHER UP.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, UM, THERE, THERE'S JUST, THERE'S SO MANY ASPECTS TO WHY THIS ONE IS SO GREAT.
AND THE OTHER ONE SHOULD GIVE ALL OF US PAUSE TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE CONSEQUENCES.
IT MAY, THE OTHER ONE MAY MAKE A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION WITH LOTS OF LONG-TERM ISSUES, AS WAS SO WELL STATED BY PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN IN PRACTICE OF THESE SORTS OF AREAS.
PLANTATION, WHAT I SEE HERE IS TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES.
WE HAVE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, WHICH IS LONGSTANDING, PROVEN, AND SUCCESSFUL.
AND IT DOESN'T REQUIRE MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY FROM THE TOWN.
CC DC IS EXPERIMENTAL 99 YEAR RENTAL TERM.
SO IF YOU DECIDE ON CC DC THAT IT'S A NOBLE CLAUSE BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU HAVE THE ATTORNEY PUT IN AN ESCAPE CLAUSE IN CASE THIS ALL BLOWS UP IN YOUR FACE.
AS FAR AS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, I'M ALL FOR IT.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS.
UM, I'M SURE WE HAVE MORE FOR YOU MR. GRUBER.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS THAT I MIGHT WANT TO ADDRESS TO MS. DOOLEY AGAIN.
UH, THE FIRST IS, HAS A TOWN EMPLOYEE EVER APPLIED FOR A HABITAT HOUSE ON HILTON HEAD AND HAS A HABITAT HOUSE EVER BEEN OCCUPIED BY A TOWN EMPLOYEE? MS. DOOLEY, PLEASE APPROACH SO WE CAN CAPTURE YOUR ANSWERS FOR THE RECORD.
WELL, I THINK MY ANSWERS ARE NO, FOR SURE.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN WITH THIS ORGANIZATION FIVE OR SIX YEARS IN THAT TIME.
I CAN'T THINK OF A FAMILY THAT WAS A TOWN.
WELL, I HOPE, UM, THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TOWN EMPLOYEES TO ABSOLUTELY MAKE AN APPLICATION AND PARTICIPATE IN YOUR GOOD PROGRAM.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS, I I I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE OF SOME STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
UM, ARE THE, ALL THE HOUSES IN THE GLEN STILL OCCUPIED BY PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY IN THAT 30 TO 80% A MI? ONCE WE SELECT OUR FAMILIES INTO THE PROGRAM, WE DON'T TRACK THAT INFORMATION.
WE HOPE THEY'RE DOING BETTER, QUITE HONESTLY.
AND SO WHEN A HOUSE IS SOLD, UM,
[02:20:01]
THEY PAY BACK THE SECOND MORTGAGE, BUT THEY TAKE, UH, UM, POCKET WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY, ANYTHING ABOVE THAT.SO YEAH, IT, THE LONGER THEY'RE IN THE HOME, THE MORE THERE WOULD BE THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, THAT SECOND MORTGAGE IS PRORATED OVER TIME.
SO IT GOES DOWN, UM, THE LONGER THEY'RE IN THE HOME.
SO ALL THE HOMES IN THE LAND AT THIS TIME MIGHT NOT BE OCCUPIED BY PEOPLE EARNING THAT 32.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR MY OWN INFORMATION.
ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MR. GRUBER FROM THE DIOCESE? OKAY.
UH, SO WE ARE DEALING WITH THE MOU ONLY AT THIS POINT.
SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A, A MOTION IN THAT FASHION, MAKE A MOTION THAT THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE FORWARD THE RESOLUTION TO THE FULL COUNSEL AUTHORIZING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH HABITAT OF HUMANITY TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE HOUSING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE QUESTION OF THE TIMELINE.
I WOULD JUST REMIND US THAT, UH, HABITAT DID APPLY FOR FUNDING DURING OUR LAST BUDGET CYCLE.
WE, UH, AT THAT TIME SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A MOU IN PLACE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TIMELINE THERE, IT'S ALMOST A YEAR'S TIME SINCE THAT DISCUSSION HAD HAPPENED.
UM, SO, UM, I JUST WANT US TO CONSIDER THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE TIMELINES IN FRONT OF US.
AS FAR AS THE 20, UH, THREE CYCLE AND THE 24 CYCLE, I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE ACCELERATED CYCLE.
IT JUST SEEMS TO ME SINCE NO PROPERTY'S BEEN IDENTIFIED, THERE'S NOT A REAL COMPELLING REASON TO DO THAT.
BUT I CERTAINLY SUPPORT WORKING WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN THIS.
THERE'S NO COMPELLING, UM, SITUATION.
THERE'S NO DRAW DOWN, CORRECT.
I WOULD SAY LET'S WORK ON THE ACCELERATED BASIS.
I'M BE IN FAVOR OF MR. THAT COULD BE A MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON IT? ALL IN FAVOR.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE WILL TAKE A BREAK.
[7.a. Consideration of a Fiscal Year 2024 Affiliated Agency Funding Application by the Coastal Community Development Corporation - Josh Gruber, Deputy Town Manager]
RIGHT ALONG TO OUR NEW BUSINESS AT HAND.UM, CONSIDERATION OF A FISCAL YEAR 2024 AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING APPLICATION BY THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN YOUR PACKET, AND AGAIN, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY TODAY, ONE OF THE ELEMENTS, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION BY THIS BODY IS A REQUEST FOR SPECIFIC FUNDING AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, UM, EXISTING FISCAL YEAR.
SO AN FY 24 FUNDING REQUEST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND SO AS FAR AS THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHAT THEY'VE SUBMITTED IS A REQUEST FOR $600,000 IN FUNDING AS PART OF A, A TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET OF $3 MILLION.
AND THEY'VE OUTLINED IN HERE FROM BOTH NARRATIVE AND SOME OTHER INFORMATION HOW THAT FUNDING WILL COME TOGETHER AND HOW IT'LL BE USED.
I KNOW A QUESTION WAS RAISED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
UH, MR. WOLF IS WORKING WITH THEIR CPA TO HAVE THOSE PREPARED.
HE'S INDICATED THAT THEY'LL HAVE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF NOVE THE END OF NOVEMBER, 2023 TO US BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT MOST OF THE TIME WE DO NOT PUBLISH THIS INFORMATION PUBLICLY.
WE DON'T RELEASE THOSE FINANCIAL INFORMATIONS.
WHAT WE USE IT FOR IS TO HELP VERIFY THAT THE INFORMATION THAT'S
[02:25:01]
PROVIDED IN THIS APPLICATION MATCHES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED TO US.SO, UH, AND THEN WHEN WE GET READY TO TALK ABOUT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, WE DO HAVE THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AS PART OF THEIR ORIGINAL FY 24 APPLICATION.
SO, UM, HAVING SAID THAT, YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS REQUEST, UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST IS OUTLINED IN THE, UH, APPLICATION AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING IT.
OKAY, MR. ALFRED, I QUESTION QUESTIONED OUT.
OH, YOU'RE, WHY DOES THIS SAY 50 TO 120? IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 30 TO HUNDRED.
WELL, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THEIR ORIGINAL APPLICATION, THAT'S WHAT THE REQUEST WAS, THAT THE COMMITTEE ASKED THAT IT BE AMENDED TO 30 TO 120% OF A MI THE QUESTION? YEP.
UM, WELL I'M, I'M MAKING AN OPENING STATEMENT JUST TO GET SOME REACTION FROM THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, UH, IN DEALING WITH STARTUPS, A TO TEAR DOWN THE REQUEST TO THE POINT THAT IT CAN'T SURVIVE.
SO I, I'M LOOKING AT THE REQUEST AT 600,000 AS A STARTING POINT.
UM, AND THEN WONDERING, UM, IF THERE IS SOME RATIONAL WAY OF DETERMINING THAT IT OUGHT TO BE A LESSER AMOUNT.
I DON'T HAVE THOSE, UM, THAT CRITERIA IN MY HEAD AT THIS POINT.
SO I WOULD BE INCLINED TO GO AHEAD WITH A FULL REQUEST.
IT'S GOING TO BE DONE ON A TAKE DOWN BASIS ANYWAY.
UH, AND SO I THINK THAT DEALS WITH A LOT OF THE ISSUES.
YOUR THOUGHTS BASICALLY SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU GENTLEMAN ARE SUGGESTING 600 UNLESS YOU OR THE CHAIRMAN, I MEAN, I, WE COULD, WE COULD BRING IT DOWN TO ANOTHER FIGURE THAT MADE THE GOAL.
YOU'RE INVESTING IN THE CONCEPT GUYS ARE, WHICH IS 600.
YOU HAPPY? I'M GOOD WITH THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL HOLD ON A MOTION.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC BEFORE WE MOVE ON THIS.
ANYONE WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC? HEARD DID, YES.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE.
UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO MOVE THAT THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2024 AFFILIATED AGENCY FUNDING APPLICATION BY THE COASTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BE FORWARDED FOR THE FULL COUNSEL'S CONSIDERATION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
[7.b. Consideration of a Fiscal Year 2024 Affiliated Agency Funding Application by the Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity - Josh Gruber, Deputy Town Manager]
CONSIDERATION OF A FISCAL YEAR 2024 AFFILIATE AGENCY FUNDING APPLICATION BY THE HILTON HEAD REGIONAL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.I THINK THERE'S STRONG SUPPORT FOR THIS APPLICATION AND THE GENERAL PROGRAM.
WE'VE HEARD CONSIDERATIONS OF EFFICIENCY, ET CETERA.
SO I WOULD, UM, SUPPORT FULL FUNDING AT THE HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WANNA SPEAK TO THIS PARTICULAR ITEM THAT WASN'T REALLY A MOTION OR, BUT YOU GOT A SECOND?
DO YOU HAVE A, DO YOU HAVE YES.
GOOD PUBLIC COMMENT, JUDGE POINT SAY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO LEVERAGING THESE FUNDS.
FURTHER DISCUSSION AMONGST COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THAT BRINGS US TO LAST OF JULY AND WHICH IS ADJOURNING.