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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY ON THURSDAY, JULY 11TH, 2024.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING.I WILL LET OUR VICE CHAIR CALL US TO ORDER.
OUR MEETING HAS BEEN CALLS TO ORDER.
I AM GONNA DEVIATE FROM OUR AGENDA JUST A LITTLE BIT TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW MEMBER TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE, UH, TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER EMILY BURDEN.
SHE'S TAKING THE SPOT OF COUNCILMAN DAN WOOD.
SO, UH, DAN WOOD WAS UP FOR REELECTION IN UH, JUNE, AND EMILY HAS SAT IN.
SO EMILY IS NOW ON BOARD WITH US.
WE HAVE, UH, ME, JAMES AS WELL.
THAT'S NOT IN, BUT WE WILL NOW GO AHEAD AND GO TO OUR ROLL CALL AND WE'LL GET BACK ON SET TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER HAM.
[III. ADOPTION OF MINUTES]
ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM JUNE 6TH.WE WOULD NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO WHO SECOND NEXT AFTER OUR ADOPTION OF MINUTES IS PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WE WILL FALL BACK TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE DO HAVE SOME GUESTS AT THE AUDIENCE AND WE WILL CIRCLE BACK.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS OLD BUSINESS, WHICH THERE IS NO OLD BUSINESS.
SO WE WILL JUMP DOWN TO NEW BUSINESS,
[VI.1. FY2025 Neighborhood Assistance Budget Update]
WHICH IS OUR FISCAL YEAR 2025.NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE BUDGET UPDATE.
THE BUDGET FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 HAS BEEN APPROVED AT $400,000.
THE FINAL BUDGET WAS APPROVED AT THE JUNE 11TH, 2024 TOWN COUNCIL MEETING VIEW FOR JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND AWARDED THE NAP WITH 144,000 THAT WILL BE PLACED IN THE HOME REPAIR PORTION OF THE BUDGET.
FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THREE HOMES HAVE STARTED RECEIVING REPAIRS AT A TOTAL OF 30 1049.
HOMES ARE IN THE QUEUE TO HAVE CONTRACTORS VISIT FOR ESTIMATES.
THOSE REPAIRS CONSIST OF ROOFING, FLOORING AND BATHROOM REPAIRS.
AND AN ADDITIONAL THREE HOMES WILL RECEIVE TREE SERVICE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MEMO? ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MEMO? ALRIGHT, NO QUESTIONS AS ALWAYS.
I GIVE YOU GUYS THE ACTUAL EXCEL SHEET SO YOU CAN SEE HOW I SEE IT IN MUNI WHEN I GO IN.
SO BEING THAT WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED FOR THE NEW YEAR, LET'S GO AHEAD AND BRING ALL THE LINES DOWN.
SO, TASK HOME REPAIR SLASH REHABILITATION.
HOME REPAIR, WHICH IS OUR ROOFING, OUR INTERIOR REPAIRS, OUR CEILING, OUR FLOORING, ALL OF THAT FALLS UNDER HOME REPAIR.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUR APPROVED BUDGET FOR THAT LINE WAS 350,000, WHICH THE TRANSFER IN IS OUR GRANT FROM THE FOR, FROM THE BUFORD JACKSON HOUSING TRUST.
SO THAT UPDATED BUDGET FOR HOME REPAIRS IS 494,030.
UH, 30 1040 HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID OUT.
SO THAT LEAVES OUR BUDGET FOR HOME REPAIRS AT 46 4 62, 9 60, EXCUSE ME.
AND THAT IS THREE HOMES COMING OUT OF THERE.
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ABATEMENT, DEMOLITION OF UNSAFE STRUCTURES, PROPERTY CLEANUP, SEPTIC PUMP OUT, PRIVATE ROAD REPAIR, E 9 1 1, AND TREE MITIGATION.
ALL FOLLOW SUIT ON THOSE LINES THERE.
ANY QUESTIONS? I DID GO THROUGH THAT KIND OF FAST 'CAUSE WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT BEING, AND THAT WE'RE STARTING OUT NEW, JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
DID I SEE THERE'S SEVEN APPLICATIONS OUTSTANDING RIGHT NOW? I'M SORRY? DID I SEE THAT THERE'S SEVEN APPLICATIONS OUT THERE? THERE ARE NINE APPLICATIONS ON MY DESK THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
HOW LONG DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS TAKE? SO THE APPLICANT WILL REQUEST, THEY COME IN, I HELP THEM FILL IT OUT.
ONCE I GET ALL THE PROPER INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED FROM THE HOME APP, THE APPLICANT, SUCH AS INCOME AND ALL THAT, I THEN SEND IT OVER TO LOW CO, LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND THEY DO OUR, UM, INCOME VERIFICATION.
THEY USUALLY TAKE ABOUT TWO TO THREE DAYS FOR A TURNAROUND.
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ONCE WE GET THAT BACK IN, THEN I SET UP AND GO OUT WITH THE BUILDING INSPECTORS AND THEY'VE BEEN EXTREMELY BUSY.UM, BUT I SET UP A MEETING WITH THE BUILDING INSPECTORS.
WE GO OUT TO THE HOME, THE HOMEOWNER WILL THEN WALK US THROUGH EVERYTHING.
THIS IS WHAT I NEED, THIS IS WHAT I NEED, THIS IS WHAT I NEED.
THEN I'LL SEND OUT THE CONTRACTORS.
SO WE DO HAVE TO HAVE THREE BIDS FROM DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS.
AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT BECAUSE AS I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU GUYS, DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS HAVE REACHED OUT.
SO WE HAVE A WHOLE, I HAVE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MORE THAN WE DID LAST YEAR TO DO WORK FOR US, WHICH IS A PLUS.
UM, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, FROM APPLICATION START DATE TO FINAL, UM, INSPECTION ABOUT A MONTH OR LONGER? YEAH.
OR EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES, LIKE, YOU KNOW, A TREE FALLS? NO.
THAT IS EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES.
A TREE FALLING THAT IS EMERGENCY WHERE, YOU KNOW, GO AHEAD AND GET ME YOUR APPLICATION.
I NEED TO PUT MY EYES ON IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DID HAPPEN.
EMERGENCY, SUCH AS OUR SEPTIC PUMP OUT, WHICH WE DON'T STOP, EVEN THOUGH FISCAL YEAR IS OVER, WE DON'T STOP.
WE JUST KEEP ROLLING WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A SANITATION ISSUE.
SO EMERGENCY WILL BE THE TREE SEPTIC.
UM, WE CAN ACTUALLY GO TO THE HOUSE.
IF WATER IS POURING IN, WE'LL PUT A TARP.
BUT IF IT IS REALLY, REALLY BAD AND IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THE ROOF.
BUT IF IT'S A TARP CAN HANDLE IT, YOU KNOW, UNTIL WE HAVE THE FUNDS, THEN WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
BUT WE JUST DID A ROUND OF APPLAUSE 'CAUSE WE HAD THE FUNDS, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET IT DONE.
SO RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE VERY BUSY.
THOSE NINE THAT WERE ON HOLD ARE READY TO GO.
UM, IT, IT WAS DOWNTIME FOR ME FOR JUNE, BUT NOW, UM, IT WAS DOWNTIME FOR ME IN JUNE, BUT NOW WE'RE HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING.
UM, AND WE'RE GOOD ON CONTRACTORS AND EVERYTHING.
I HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE KNOCKING AT FOUR.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY MORE QUESTIONS? UH, JUST ONE, WHAT DID, HOW MANY DID WE FINISH OUT LAST YEAR? HOW MANY HOMES DID WE 45.
AND THAT IS SOME REPEAT IN THERE WITH THE SEPTIC ISSUES, BUT ALTOGETHER 45 INVOICES PAID, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A REPEAT SEPTIC OR ANYTHING INTERIOR.
ARE WE GONNA DO, UM, MORE INFORMATIONALS ABOUT THE APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN AGAIN AND WE HAVE FUNDS, UM, SO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS.
I CAN, UM, GET APPROVAL FROM KEVIN AND SEE IF WE CAN DO A BLAST THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, BUT, UM OKAY.
EVEN IF THERE'S NO FUNDS AVAILABLE, APPLICATIONS,
WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT AND PUT IT OUT AND, UM, JUST GIVE OUR PAPER FOR A COPY OF OUR APPLICATION, BUT THAT'LL BE A PROBLEM.
ANYTHING ELSE? UM, NO, I HAVE SOMETHING SEPARATE.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS WITH THE BUDGET, I AM GOING TO SCROLL US BACK TO THE AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE SOME UPDATES FOR A COUPLE THINGS.
[VII.1. Housing Incentives, Kevin Icard, Growth Management Director]
OF WHAT COUNCILMAN HAMILTON HAS BEEN PUSHING, HE SAID HE WOULD BE HERE.[VII.2. Town of Bluffton Employee Homebuying Program Update]
EMPLOYEE HOME BUYING PROGRAM, WHICH STEVEN STEVES BROUGHT TO TOWN MANAGER STEVEN STEVES BROUGHT TO US LAST MONTH.UM, WHITNEY TOWN COUNCIL ON TUESDAY.
AND I'M GONNA PASS THAT OVER TO, I'VE GOT THAT PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, FIRST OFF, UM, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
KEVIN, ER, DIRECTOR OF GROWTH MANAGEMENT.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, I'D LIKE TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HOUSING, UH, TRUST FUND HERE.
WE'RE GONNA WAIT UNTIL, UH, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON CAN SHOW UP.
AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN GET EVERYBODY IN THE PICTURE IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY.
UH, JUST HANGING OUT FOR A LITTLE BIT.
UM, LET ME GET TO MY PRESENTATION HERE REAL QUICK.
SO THIS IS MEANT TO BE A WORKSHOP.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO, UM, INFORMAL, LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK.
UH, ANY INSIGHT THAT YOU HAVE, THIS IS MEANT TO BE PRODUCTIVE.
UM, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS FOR US TO LOOK AT.
FIRST OFF, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT, UM, THE EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, UH, AS WELL AS POTENTIAL PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD THEN BRING FORWARD.
UH, THE GOAL IS TO, WE WORKSHOP SCRUB IT HERE, UM, STAFF, WE TAKE THIS BACK, UM, GET THIS INFORMATION PUT TOGETHER, AND THEN ULTIMATELY GET IN FRONT OF TOWN COUNCIL WITH SOME, ANOTHER WORKSHOP OF POSSIBLE, UM, INCENTIVES THAT COULD MOVE FORWARD, UH, EITHER REGULATORY OR, UM, AND ECONOMIC INCENTIVES.
SO OUR GOAL TODAY IS TO JUST KIND OF HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE STOP ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AS I'M GOING THROUGH THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS IS WHAT THE TOWN ALREADY OFFERS.
UH, SO WE DO HAVE A, UH, DENSITY BONUS, UH, FOR RENTAL OR OWNER OCCUPIED HOUSING.
UM, THIS ONLY APPLIES FOR PROPERTIES, UM, THAT ARE PART OF, PART OF THE, WE CALL IT THE 8% OF THE TOWN.
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SO THIS IS A, UM, IT'S AN INCENTIVE THAT IS IN OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.UH, TYPICALLY IS FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE ZONED, UH, RESIDENTIAL GENERAL, UH, WHICH CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR FOUR UNITS TO THE ACRE.
UM, SO, UM, WHAT WE HAVE IS YOU CAN DO A DENSITY BONUS.
IT'S A SLIDING SCALE, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THERE.
UM, UH, A GREAT EXAMPLE IS WE'LL JUST, IF YOU OWN ONE ACRE OF LAND, UM, CURRENTLY YOU'RE ALLOWED TO PUT FOUR UNITS, POTENTIALLY FOUR UNITS, UM, ON THAT LOT.
UM, IF YOU, UM, COME TO THE TOWN AND SAY THAT, HEY, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, GET A DENSITY BONUS, I WANT TO DO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE UNITS, UM, AS AN AFFORDABLE UNIT.
UM, I CAN GET ONE MORE UNIT FROM THERE.
UM, SO ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IF YOU HAVE, UM, A GOOD MORNING, UH, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON.
UM, WE, WE'VE JUST STARTED ON OUR INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
UM, SO WHY DON'T WE DO THIS? WHY DON'T I, WHY DON'T HIT PAUSE.
UM, NOW THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON IS HERE, UH, I'D LIKE TO, UM, HAVE THE HOUSING TRUST COME UP.
UH, IF YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN, UH, WE CAN DO OUR CHECK PRESENTATION WITH EVERYONE.
SO, UM, THAT WAY YOU GUYS CAN, UM, GO ABOUT YOUR DAY AS WELL.
WELL, LET'S STILL, WE'LL STILL DO IT.
HOW ABOUT THAT WHILE EVERYONE'S FRESH, YOU WANNA DO THAT? YEAH.
WE ARE REPRESENTING THE VIEW FOR JASPER HOUSING TRUST.
UH, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, UH, THE TRUST WAS FORMED TO PROVIDE VARIOUS GRANTS, UH, TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, THROUGHOUT SIX MUNICIPALITIES AND TWO COUNTIES.
UH, WE MATCHED THAT WITH SOME FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
WE WERE HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT, UH, WE HAVE APPROVED YOUR APPLICATION, UH, VICKY'S HARD WORK.
YOU HAVE TO GET A PART OF THAT, UH, FOR $144,000 GRANT.
UH, THOSE FUNDS WILL BE COMING TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
WE HAVE SOME REGULATORY THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO BEFORE WE CAN HAND THE MONEY OUT.
UM, BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE INAUGURAL GRANT, UH, MAKING OF THE TRUST.
WE LOOK FORWARD IN THE FUTURE TO PROVIDING MORE GRANTS, UH, AS WE ATTEMPT TO COLLECT MORE FUNDS, GET MORE DONORS, WORK WITH THE STATE.
UH, I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE TRUST ALSO, UH, HAS APPLIED TO THE STATE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED AS A SPONSOR FOR THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD MEAN WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH THE STATE AS A CONDUIT TO YOU, UH, TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR HOME REPAIRS.
UH, THERE'S A $20 MILLION POT IN COLUMBIA THAT LAST YEAR WAS USED ONE TIME FOR ONE ROOF.
UH, THE REST OF THE MONEY IS STILL THERE.
UH, THE HOUSE HAS COME OVER TO THE HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY AND SAID, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT MONEY GO OUT THE DOOR.
AND WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT COMES HERE TO THE COUNTY TO VOTE COUNTIES, UH, AND TO ALL OF THE RECIPIENTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.
SO, WITH THAT, WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH RUN A LARGE CHECK BOTH IN MONEY AND IN SIZE OF $144,000.
AND WE APPRECIATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU.
ALSO, WE CLEARED IT IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT OUR, UH, MEMO THAT WE SENT OUT IN A PRESS RELEASE, UH, INADVERTENTLY CAUSED ABOUT 25 TO 30 CALLS COMING IN FOR PEOPLE WHO SAY, MY ROOF IS BROKEN, MY SEPTIC TANK WON'T WORK.
WHERE DO I GET HELP? SO WE WILL REFER THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO QUALIFY HERE TO YOU TO SHINE OUT.
WE GLAD YOU PRESENT THE CHECK.
CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYONE COME DOWN.
WE CAN ALL GET A PICTURE IN THE FRONT.
I'M LEADING THE CHARGE HERE, SO WE'LL GET EVERYBODY SCRUNCHED IN.
HOW ARE COUNSEL? I SAY VICE CHAIR.
EVERYBODY IN YOUR VICE CHAIR? SCRUNCH IN, SCRUNCH IN.
MIGHT HAVE TO MOVE UP TO GET, YEAH, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET IT LIKE AT AN ANGLE, JUST SO THIS, THIS THING DOES NOT MOVE, UNFORTUNATELY.
I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BE IN THE PICTURE.
YEAH, THAT'S JUST, MAYBE YOUR ANGLE'S BETTER.
THAT'S REALLY, YOU STAND ON THE TABLE.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING, WOULDN'T IT? BE CAREFUL? OH, SHE'S, SHE'S GONNA DO IT.
WHICH WAY ARE WE? WHERE ARE WE LOOKING? WHERE ARE WE LOOKING? YOU'RE LOOKING AT HER FIRST.
[00:15:01]
I'M THINKING A LOT HERE, SO YOU CAN, OKAY.UH, THOSE FUNDS WILL DEFINITELY BE USED.
UM, AND OUR GOAL IS TO BE AS FIDUCIARY AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, WE LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UH, INCORPORATE THE FUNDS USED THROUGH THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, AS WELL AS OUR GENERAL, UH, GENERAL FUNDS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO, I KNOW THAT VICKY IS DEFINITELY EXCITED TO SPEND SOME MONEY.
SO, UM, BACK TO, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON.
I WAS SAYING, UH, AT THE START OF THIS, THIS IS A WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT CURRENT, UM, INCENTIVES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AS WELL AS POSSIBLE, UH, INCENTIVES MOVING FORWARD, BOTH FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT, UH, WITH CODES THAT WE CAN CHANGE AND AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT.
SO, UM, MEANT TO HAVE A OPEN DIALOGUE, UH, GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE STAFF WILL GO BACK, UH, WORK ON, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF POLISHING IT OFF AND THEN BRINGING IT TO TOWN COUNCIL, UH, AS A WORKSHOP TO, TO GET MORE FEEDBACK TO HOW WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THESE ITEMS. UH, AS WE WERE STATING, THE FIRST ONE IS THE DENSITY BONUS.
UH, THAT'S WHERE IF YOU HAVE A, UM, IF YOU LIVE IN A RESIDENTIAL GENERAL DISTRICT, UH, YOU'RE ALLOWED FOUR UNITS PER ACRE.
UH, IF YOU DECIDED TO SAY THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE ONE OF 'EM AS A, UM, AS A POSSIBLE, UM, AFFORDABLE UNIT THAT, UH, YOU COULD COME TO US, UH, WE'VE GOT A PROCESS TO REVIEW IT, TO CONFIRM, UM, THERE WOULD BE SOME DEED RESTRICTIONS ON THAT JUST TO, TO CLARIFY HOW, HOW IT'S GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN YOU WOULD, IN ESSENCE, BE ABLE TO HAVE FIVE UNITS VERSUS THE FOUR THAT'S ALLOWED BY CODE.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, PRIVATE, UH, PROPERTY OWNER THAT IS GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S, UM, IT'S BEEN SOME CHALLENGES, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, IN ESSENCE, SUBDIVIDE THE LOT, AND THEY'RE, UM, HOPEFULLY BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH PROVIDING SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, THE OTHER ONE IS THE TOWNS PROJECT.
UH, BAY RIVER ROAD 10 95 WILL BE, UH, USED TO REFER TO AS, UH, NOW THE MAY.
UM, THAT PROJECT, UH, IS A 1.78 ACRE SITE, AND WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET 12 UNITS OUT THERE.
SO, UH, WE ARE VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY CLOSE.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE GROUNDBREAKING.
UM, AND WE'RE JUST FINE FINISHING OUT THE FINAL, UM, ENCROACHMENTS.
SO THE BONUS IS IN FACT AN AN INCREASE IN DENSITY, CORRECT? THAT'S WHAT THE BONUS IS.
UM, SO, UM, WE HAVE HERE, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE FOUR MANUFACTURED, UH, HOMES PER LOT POLICY.
AGAIN, THAT'S FOUR UNITS PER ACRE, UM, THAT WE ALLOW.
UH, TYPICALLY IF YOU'RE DOING A, A STICK BELT STICK BUILT HOME, YOU WOULD SUBDIVIDE THE LOT UP IN ORDER FOR EACH HOME TO BE ON ITS OWN PERSONAL LOT.
UH, WE DO HAVE A POLICY WHERE IF YOU HAVE MANUFACTURED HOMES, UM, AND YOU HAVE ONLY ONE LOT THAT YOU CAN PUT MULTIPLE MANUFACTURED HOMES ON THAT ONE LOT, AS LONG AS YOU'RE STILL MEETING THE DENSITY REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, UM, TYPICALLY THAT MOST, MOST PLACES WON'T ALLOW FOR THAT.
UM, DUE TO THE, UH, LARGE NUMBER OF HEIRS PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, UM, THERE IS DIFFICULTY FOR, UH, PEOPLE TO, TO GET, UH, CONSTRUCTION LOANS FOR STICK BUILT HOMES, BUT MANUFACTURED HOMES CAN BE PLACED ON THE PROPERTY AND ALSO REMOVED.
UM, SO THAT, THAT GIVES THE, THE ABILITY THERE, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UH, OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE IS WE DO ALLOW FOR, UH, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, UH, IN ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS.
UM, SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, RENT THAT OUT IF THEY DECIDE TO, UH, CONSTRUCT ONE ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, THEN, THEN ALSO, UH, YOU ARE ALLOWED ONE SHORT TERM RENTAL, UM, BUY RIGHT, UH, PER PROPERTY.
UH, SOME OF THE OTHER EFFORTS, UM, THAT WE HAVE, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN OLD TOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, WE DO ALLOW FOR MANUFACTURED HOME REPLACEMENT.
UH, SO THERE IS A CLAUSE THAT, UH, IF YOU HAVE A MANUFACTURED HOME IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OLDER, UH, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WE DO HAVE PROVISIONS THAT ALLOW YOU TO, UM, REMOVE THE, THE CURRENT, UH, MANUFACTURER COME AND REPLACE IT WITH A, WITH A NEW MODEL.
UM, VERSUS HAVING, FORCING PEOPLE TO, ONCE YOU REMOVE IT, IT'S NOT ALLOWED, UM, TO COME BACK.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE THAT PROVISION.
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AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, UM, IS THE HOME BUYING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM, THAT THE TOWN MANAGER CAME TO YOU, I BELIEVE THAT WAS LAST MONTH, UH, TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION ON THAT, UH, THAT WENT IN FRONT OF TOWN COUNCIL, UH, TWO DAYS AGO.UM, AND, UH, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, UH, WAS APPROVED AND WAS SPECIFICALLY WITH COMMUNITY WORKS.
UH, SO THEY WILL BE THE, UH, THE GROUP THAT WILL SPEARHEAD THE PROJECT.
UM, SO INDIVIDUALS WILL THEN, UM, AS THEY START THE PROCESS, WOULD THEN GO THROUGH COMMUNITY WORKS AND, AND THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL OF THE PAPERWORK.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THAT'S JUST FOR THE 2 9 9 1 0 AND 2 9 9 0 1 ZIP CODES.
AND IT'S BASED OFF THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, EMPLOYEE'S INCOME, NOT NECESSARILY THE ENTIRE, UM, HOUSE INCOME.
SO, UH, IT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO, UH, IN ESSENCE HAVE, UM, PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT LARGER LOAN, UH, VERSUS IF YOU HAD, IF YOU HAD, UM, DUAL INCOME, THAT MIGHT PUSH YOU OVER A, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE A MI THAT ACTUALLY REDUCES, UH, THE, THE POTENTIAL AMOUNT THAT A LOAN COULD BE.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S JUST TRIGGERED ON THAT ONE, UH, EMPLOYEE'S INCOME.
QUESTION, WHAT'S COMMUNITY WORK? COMMUNITY WORKS IS A COMPANY THAT ACTUALLY, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY USED TO START THE REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND.
SO THEY'RE BASED OUT OF GREENVILLE? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
UM, AND THEY ASSIST WITH, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, ON, ON MULTIPLE SCALES.
UH, SO I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
THEY ARE A COMMUNITY, UM, FINANCIAL, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.
SO ESSENTIALLY IT IS LIKE A BANK, BUT A, UM, BUT IS FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS AND, AND OTHER SOURCES.
UM, WE DO HAVE OTHER, UM, OTHER COMPONENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
UH, SO SPECIFICALLY FOR, UM, AND THIS CAME THROUGH A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AWARE IF IN, IN THE PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENTS, UM, IF YOU HAVE A, UM, UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO ANNEX INTO THE TOWN OR YOU'RE GOING TO COME IN FRONT OF TOWN COUNCIL TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL UNITS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, YOU WOULD, UM, ANYTHING THAT YOU DO WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE AT LEAST 20% OF THEM TO BE SET ASIDE FOR AFFORDABLE, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO, UH, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS ST.
GREGORY THE GREAT, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THEY, UH, ANNEXED INTO THE TOWN AND PART OF THAT PROCESS, UM, THE ALLOCATION OF, UH, OF DWELLING UNITS THAT WAS GIVEN SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CHURCH AND THEIR TRACT LAND, AT LEAST 20% OF THOSE UNITS DO HAVE TO BE AFFORDABLE.
UM, THEY HAVE NOT, UH, MOVED FORWARD WITH ANY TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, IT IS, IT'S ON THE BOOKS, AND THEY ARE FULLY AWARE THAT, UH, THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY, ANY MOVEMENT THERE.
UM, THE OTHER ITEM IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, OUR, OUR PROJECT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UH, THE MAY.
UM, WHAT I'VE BEEN DID HERE IS THAT WE HAVE OTHER PROJECTS, UH, THAT ARE SLOWLY MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THAT WOULD BE THE TEN ONE FIFTEEN BLUFFTON ROAD AND 180 4 BLUFFTON ROAD.
UM, AND THAT THESE ARE PART OF THE, UM, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THAT WE WORKED THROUGH WITH STATE OF MIND PARTNERS.
SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON THE MAY.
AND ONCE THAT GETS, HOPEFULLY AS THAT STARTS TO GET UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WE WILL THEN, AND WE ARE ALREADY STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE OTHER PROPERTIES TO WORK WITH THEM FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SOME OTHER POSSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE, AND THIS IS WHERE WE'D LIKE TO MAYBE, UH, SLOW DOWN TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THIS.
UM, THIS IS IN, UM, WE HAVE TO FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE IT ENTICING, UH, FOR DEVELOPERS TO, TO CONSTRUCT A AFFORD POLICY.
UM, IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, THE, THE, THE, THE PHYSICAL COST TO CONSTRUCT A BUILDING IS THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT.
IT COSTS THE SAME AMOUNT FOR MATERIALS AS IT WOULD FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE DOING IT AS AFFORDABLE OR YOU'RE DOING IT AS JUST A, A REGULAR MARKET RATE.
THE, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO, TO LOWER CERTAIN COSTS, TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE POTENTIALLY MORE UNITS.
SO SOME OF THE, THE IDEAS THAT WE'VE STARTED TO COME UP WITH IS, UM, WE CAN ADJUST THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
UH, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU CAN INCREASE DENSITY BY CHANGING THE BUILDING HEIGHT.
YOU KNOW, IF THAT IS SOMETHING, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST IDEAS THROWN OUT THERE, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN ANY, ALL OR SOME OF THEM, UM, COULD MOVE FORWARD.
UM, ONE OF 'EM IS THE BUILDING HEIGHT.
UM, DEPENDING ON WHERE THE PROPERTY IS ZONED, UH, THERE'S SPECIFIC, UM, HEIGHT LIMITATIONS.
[00:25:02]
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE INCREASED.UM, OTHER OPTION OPTIONS INCLUDE, UH, YOUR SETBACKS WHERE, UM, WE HAVE SOME DISTRICTS THAT HAVE A, IT HAS A, A 40 OR 50 FOOT REAR SETBACK.
UH, SO THAT MEANS THAT YOUR BUILDING CAN'T BE ANY CLOSER THAN 50 FEET.
SO IF YOU REDUCE, REDUCE THAT SETBACK, IN ESSENCE, YOU'RE GIVING MORE SPACE TO ALLOW FOR BUILDINGS TO BE DEVELOPED.
UM, THE FOOTPRINT, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WE COULD, UH, EITHER LIMIT OR WE COULD EXPAND FOOTPRINTS, UM, FOR DIFFERENT BUILDINGS.
UM, NOW WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK OF THE CHARACTER, LIKE, HOW IS THAT GOING TO, EVERYTHING HAS A, HAS REPERCUSSIONS AND IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT.
SO YOU THINK THROUGH THAT AND YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, HOW IS THAT GOING TO, UM, HOW'S THAT GOING TO LOOK? WILL THAT CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF A, OF A NEIGHBORHOOD? IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE, THE FACTORS THAT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, UM, AS YOU'RE, YOU'RE MOVING THROUGH THIS.
UM, PARKING, UH, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WHERE, UH, RIGHT NOW WE REQUIRE TWO PARKING SPACES PER, PER UNIT.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU WERE TO COME IN AND YOU, LET'S SAY YOU WANTED TO DO, UH, RENTAL COMMUNITY, UM, AND BY HAVING TWO PARKING SPACES THAT TAKES UP SPACE.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GROUND SPACE, BY REDUCING THE REQUIREMENT TO ONLY ONE, UH, PARKING SPACE, OR FOR A LARGER DEVELOPMENT, LET'S SAY 1.5 PARKING SPACES, YOU'RE REDUCING THE DOWN THE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT'S NEEDED FOR, FOR CARS, WHICH THEN FREES UP THE LAND FOR BUILDING.
UM, OTHER THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THE ADUS, THOSE ARE THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, UM, FOR SOME LARGER LOTS, POTENTIALLY ALLOWING TWO OF THEM, UM, THAT WAY THAT, UM, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY, UH, RESTRICT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE UNITS THAT WAY, AS A PROPERTY OWNER, YOU, YOU OWN YOUR HOUSE AND THEN YOU PUT, YOU KNOW, TWO SEPARATE, UH, YOU KNOW, SMALLER, UH, BUILDINGS ON THERE.
AND THEN POTENTIALLY, UM, RESTRICT ONE OF THEM, YOU KNOW, BY ALLOWING, YOU KNOW, BY THE TOWN ALLOWING YOU TO HAVE THOSE TWO, TWO UNITS AS OPPOSED TO JUST ONE UNIT.
YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO RESTRICT THIS AND YOU'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE PROVISIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU'D HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE RENTING THAT OUT, YOU ARE RENTING THAT UNIT OUT AT A LOWER, UH, LOWER COST FOR INDIVIDUALS, AGAIN, MAKING IT AFFORDABLE.
UM, THE MANUFACTURED HOME POLICY, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK INTO.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO A, A FAMILY COMPOUND, UM, WHERE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO POTENTIALLY HAVE MORE UNITS FOR MANUFACTURED VERSUS STICK BUILTS, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
UM, THE OTHER ONE, UH, LET'S SEE, ON SMALL SCALE, UH, DEVELOPMENTS WHERE WE COULD LOOK TO INCENTIVIZE, UM, THE PERMIT FEES, UH, DESIGN FEES, UH, IF THE TOWN WAS INTERESTED IN ACTUALLY, UM, CREATING, UM, SHOP DRAWINGS.
WHEN I SAY SHOP DRAWINGS, REFERRING TO LIKE BUILDING PLANS OF, OF BUILDINGS THAT WE KNOW, LIKE THIS, THIS BUILDING PLAN HAS ALREADY BEEN, YOU KNOW, AN ARCHITECT HAS DESIGNED THIS, ENGINEERS HAVE DESIGNED THIS, ALL OF THE COSTS THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE FEES FOR THESE PROFESSIONALS TO, TO CREATE THESE DOCUMENTS THAT THE TOWN DOES THAT.
AND THEN IF SOMEONE COMES IN, IT'S LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO DO, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO USE YOUR PLANS.
WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN THEN, YOU KNOW, WE PULL THAT PLAN OFF THE SHELF AND SAY, HERE YOU GO, FREECHARGE, IT'S ALREADY DONE.
WHICH THEN BRINGS THAT COST DOWN SO THAT WAY THEY CAN, UM, THEY CAN THEN PASS THAT COST, COST SAVINGS ON TO, TO RENTERS OR OWNERS.
SO IN, IN, IN THE PLANNING WORLD, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE MISSING MIDDLE.
UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS, UH, JOKES ABOUT THAT THAT ARE ALWAYS SWIRLING AROUND, UM, ON FACEBOOK.
BUT THE MISSING MIDDLE, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF WHERE YOU HAVE SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES, TAKES UP MUCH MORE SPACE.
UM, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT AS ECONOMICAL VERSUS MID-RISE AND, AND HIGHRISE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY BLUFFTON IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO DOING THAT.
SO, UM, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THIS MISSING MIDDLE.
SO WHEN YOU KIND OF LOOK THROUGH IT, YOU'LL SEE THAT YOU CAN DO, UM, MULTIPLE, YOU CAN DO LIKE A, A DUPLEX, A TRIPLEX, A QUADPLEX.
UH, I WORKED SOMEWHERE BEFORE THAT HAD QUADPLEXES, AND, AND YOU WOULDN'T EVEN, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW JUST THE DESIGN THAT THEY DID.
IT JUST LOOKED LIKE, ALMOST LOOKED LIKE DUPLEXES.
'CAUSE EVERY TIME YOU TURNED, IT WAS JUST, ALL YOU SAW WERE TWO UNITS.
SO EVERY TIME YOU TURNED AROUND, JUST IT WAS LIKE TWO UNITS.
UM, TOWN HOMES ARE, ARE IN THERE.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TRY TO TRY TO, UM, INCORPORATE IN, INTO DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN GET INTO THE LARGER, UM, LARGER LIKE MID-BLOCK, UM, BUILDINGS.
AND THAT'S, AS YOU GET HIGHER UP IN THAT MISSING MIDDLE.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE SOMETHING, UH, FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN SOME OF THESE SINGLE FAMILY,
[00:30:01]
UM, ZONING DISTRICTS, IF WE WANTED TO LOOK TO APPLY THIS, THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.UM, SO, UH, THIS RIGHT HERE IS A PROJECT IN CLARKSTON, GEORGIA.
AND, UM, CHARLOTTE, UM, BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION.
I STARTED LOOKING INTO IT, AND, AND IT'S A, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WORK HAS TO GO INTO A PROJECT LIKE THIS WHERE, UH, THEY CAME IN, THEY ONLY HAD HALF AN ACRE.
UM, AND WHAT THEY DID, IN ESSENCE, THEY WERE MAKING THESE, I WANNA SAY SMALLER HOMES.
UM, AND THEN THEY WERE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, THEY WERE, UM, SEEKING OUT INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, SINGLES, UH, YOU KNOW, SENIORS.
THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY DESIGNED FOR A LARGE FAMILY LIKE MY FAMILY, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
UM, I'VE GOT TWO BIG BOYS AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT FOUR OF US ARE STAYING IN A 500 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE.
UM, BUT THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE WHERE A SMALLER UNIT IS APPROPRIATE.
UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES, IT'S ALL ON ONE LOT.
SO EACH INDIVIDUAL HOUSE, I THINK THE, THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE SET UP IS, UM, THAT THEY CARVE OUT, I BELIEVE THEY CARVE OUT THE, THE, THE LAND UNDER THE HOUSE.
SO YOU, YOU IN ESSENCE OWN THE LAND, BUT THEN THERE'S COMMON OPEN SPACE THAT IS, THAT IS OWNED BY ALL.
NOW, WITH THAT, IT, IT IS, IT, IT KIND OF BREAKS THE RULES OF ZONING, UH, TYPICAL ZONING, UM, CODES.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE, FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT, WE WOULD HAVE TO CREATE A CODE THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
SO, AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT GIVES, IT GIVES, IT GIVES ANOTHER TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX, UH, FOR, FOR THE TOWN AS WELL AS DEVELOPERS.
UH, SO KIND OF MOVING ON, UM, WE, WE ALWAYS USE THE TERM NOAH, WHICH IS THE NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO WE WANTED TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.
OBVIOUSLY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE'RE HELPING INDIVIDUALS TO REPAIR THEIR HOMES.
UH, SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE HAVE, UM, AND I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, FULLY VERSED IN THIS ONE, BUT THE, UH, THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THAT'S FOR INDIVIDUALS OVER 65, UM, WHERE IT ALLOWS FOR THE $50,000 OF THEIR, UH, FAIR MARKET PROPERTY VALUE TO BE TAX EXEMPT.
SO IT HELPS TO CUT DOWN ON THE TAXES.
UH, OTHER THINGS ARE OBTAINING A CLEAR TITLE FOR PROPERTIES.
UM, AND THAT'S THE HEIRS, UM, DEALING WITH HEIRS PROPERTIES WHERE, UM, IF YOU HAVE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO, YOU KNOW, FOR TRUE OWNERSHIP, UM, BEING ABLE TO ASSIST WITH, UM, GETTING THAT ALL CLEARED UP SO THAT WAY INDIVIDUALS COULD EITHER, UM, SUBDIVIDE OR POTENTIALLY, UM, HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO, UH, STICK BUILT HOMES ON THEIR PROPERTIES.
OTHER THINGS INCLUDE, UM, A LAND LEASE, UM, FOR INSTALLATION OF MANUFACTURED HOMES.
AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD LOOK TO, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO COME TO THE TOWN AND SAY THAT THEY NEEDED, UM, SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, TO BE INSTALLED.
UH, THE BIGGEST ONE IS DEALING WITH WATER AND SEWER.
THE WATER AND SEWER TAP FEES ARE REALLY EXPENSIVE.
UH, AS WELL AS OTHER, UM, OTHER IMPACT FEES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH UNITS.
UM, SO IN ESSENCE, THE ABILITY FOR THE TOWN TO DO A BUY DOWN.
SO WE WOULD BUY DOWN ON SOME OF THESE, UH, UTILITIES TO MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO, UH, TO USE THEIR LAND.
AND THEN ALSO IS THE SUBDIVISION OF EXISTING PROPERTY.
UH, IT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL HOUSING OR FOR FAMILY MEMBERS.
UH, YOU COULD IN ESSENCE CREATE A, UM, YOU COULD CARVE OFF LOTS IF YOU HAD A LARGER LOT, AND THEN YOU ONLY WANTED TO CARVE UP A SMALL PIECE, UH, AND YOU'RE SELLING IT TO A FAMILY MEMBER.
UM, THAT WAY THAT YOU COULD DESIGN IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT, UM, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO MEET THE SAME SETBACK REQUIREMENTS.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU CARVE OFF A LOT, YOU THEN HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CERTAIN SETBACK REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THE BUILDING.
THERE MAY BE ABLE TO DO PROVISIONS WHERE YOU CAN CARVE OFF A SMALLER PIECE OF THE LOT, AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO MEET THE SAME PROVISIONS THAT YOU WOULD, UM, UNDER A, A CONVENTIONAL, UH, ZONING DISTRICT.
UM, SO SOME OF THE THINGS, OBVIOUSLY WE TALKED ABOUT CONSIDERATION, UM, IS THAT HOME OWNERSHIP VERSUS RENTAL.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE PULLED THIS STAT THAT 36% OF ALL US HOMES ARE RENTERS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANNA LOOK AT POTENTIAL, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UH, VERSUS HOME OWNERSHIP? UM, LET'S SEE.
WE HAVE, UM, THE OTHER THING IS ACTUALLY KIND OF DO LIKE A ROUND TABLE WITH HOME BUILDERS TO SAY LIKE, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU NEED? LIKE, WHAT IS ULTIMATELY, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US TO MAKE IT MORE ENTICIVE? UM, THE OTHER THING IS WE, YOU PUT HERE TO ENCOURAGE AND EDUCATE, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE USE OF HOUSING VOUCHERS.
NOW, THE TOWN DOES NOT DO HOUSING VOUCHERS.
UH, THAT IS HANDLED THROUGH THE BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, BUT BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS A WAIT LIST
[00:35:01]
OF INDIVIDUALS, UM, THAT ARE WANTING TO USE HOUSING VOUCHERS.HOWEVER, THEY DON'T, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PROPERTIES, UH, THAT ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT HOUSING VOUCHERS AS A, AS A, AS A FORM OF, OF PAYMENT.
SO I THINK PART OF THAT IS MAYBE WORKING WITH, UM, THE HA TO EDUCATE PROPERTY OWNERS AS TO, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN JUST LOOK ON WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO HEAR SUGGESTIONS, UH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY FOR US TO KIND OF JUST TALK ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, I'M, THAT'S, THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.
UM, TALK ABOUT IT, GO BACK THROUGH ANY SLIDES, UH, ANY SUGGESTIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS YOU SAY YES, WE'RE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, OR NO, THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA.
UM, WE'LL TAKE ALL THIS AND THEN, UM, WORK ON GETTING THIS IN FRONT OF TOWN COUNCIL FOR A WORKSHOP TO BE ABLE TO TRULY START TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THESE, UH, SCENARIOS TO, TO, FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT, BEING ABLE TO GET IT THROUGH THE PROCESS TO, TO MAKE IT A CODE.
UM, I WAS WONDERING IF IT WERE POSSIBLE IF I COULD, OR WE COULD DIGEST IT FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND GO THROUGH IT AND MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
OH, AB ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO DO THAT.
UH, WHAT WE CAN DO IS I CAN ACTUALLY, UM, WE'LL SEND OUT A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION TO EVERYONE, JUST SO THAT WAY YOU THEN CAN, YOU CAN WRITE ON IT SCRIBBLED UP.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU LIKE, OR IF YOU WANT, UM, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, WE CAN GO PRINT OUT COPIES FOR EVERYONE.
AND THEN THAT WAY, UM, YOU CAN HAVE A COPY AND TAKE WITH YOU.
AND THEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY JUST, IF YOU WANT TO, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE THAT BACK TO US, UH, INDIVIDUALLY, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL TAKE ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND THEN AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE CAN JUST DO A FOLLOW UP ON, ON WHAT YOU HAVE.
SO THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THIS.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
I KNOW IT'S ALL, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S QUICK.
DO DO WE HAVE LIKE A AUDIO OF WHAT YOU SAID? YES, YES.
UM, AND THEN IT'S, IT'S STREAMED THROUGH THE, THE, THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
UH, SO WE CAN DEFINITELY, UM, ONCE THE LINK IS LIVE, UH, WE'LL DEFINITELY SEND THE LINK TO YOU AS WELL.
I'M GONNA LET EVERYONE ELSE GET A CHANCE TO.
SO
AND, UH, WHEN WE TALK TO DEVELOPERS, DO WE, IT'S NOT JUST PROVIDING HOUSING, CAN WE GET THEM SOMETIMES JUST TO DONATE LAND TO US AND, UH, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE COME UP WITH OUR OWN PLAN, WHAT TO PUT THERE? THAT'S THE BIGGEST ISSUE I KNOW OF.
IT'S GETTING A SUFFICIENT LAND FOR ALL THIS.
SO, SO, UM, ONE THING IS, UM, UH, TOWN COUNCIL HAS PUT, UM, IN, THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND IS THE, UH, PURCHASE OF LANDS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S EITHER FOR, FOR OPEN SPACE, ALSO FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I DON'T KNOW THAT NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT EACH YEAR WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING MONEY ASIDE FOR THE PURCHASE OF LAND FOR, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, YOU KNOW, A GREAT EXAMPLE IS, UH, THE, UH, THE 10 95 PROPERTY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE FOUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO WE, WE, WE ARE DEFINITELY DOING THAT.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT SOMETIMES WILL COME UP AND SAY, I'VE GOT A PIECE OF LAND, ARE YOU WILLING TO PURCHASE IT? SO, UM, WE, WE, WE ARE VERY ACTIVE IN THAT.
UM, AND I'LL HAVE PEOPLE CONTACT ME QUITE A BIT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I'M WORKING WITH THE TOWN MANAGER TO, TO SEE IF SOMETHING DOES WORK OUT.
PEOPLE LIKE RE TEND TO BE MORE LANDOWNERS SOMETIMES THAN THEY ARE DEVELOPERS.
SO I, I WONDER IF THERE'S NOT A WAY TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO ACQUIRE SOMETHING FOR DEVELOPMENT AT THE SAME TIME TO, UH, DONATE LAND TO US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT ANYWAY.
THIS WAS A, THIS IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE, UH, PRESENTATION.
I THINK THE ONE, I HAD A LOT OF NOTES, BUT THE ONE THING THAT REALLY I HAD TO ZERO IN ON IS, UH, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OR, OR PLANNED COMMUNITIES LIKE THE MAY, WE HAD 30 YEARS THAT IT WOULD EXPIRE AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
HAS THAT BEEN ADOPTED FOR THE MAIN PARTICULARLY THIRD YEAR? WELL, FOR, FOR, FOR OUR PROJECTS, YES, IT IS.
[00:40:01]
PART OF THE DEED RESTRICTIONS.SO, UM, THAT THOSE COVENANTS AFTER THE YEARS, THEY WILL NOT BE, WELL, UM, I I FEEL LIKE WE ACTUALLY EXTENDED IT LONGER THAN THAT, BUT I, I CAN, I'LL FI I'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THAT ONE.
UM, YEAH, I HATE TO BE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT I IT TOO.
I LIVED IN A COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAD 30 YEARS AND THE 30 YEARS EXPIRED, AND NOW THE PEOPLE ARE, WHEN I LEFT FOUR YEARS AGO, THE PEOPLE WERE, YOU KNOW, SCATTERING, TRYING TO FIND YES HOMES.
UM, AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE PROPERTIES, UM, ON, UM, WARP STREET, THE WARP STREET REDEVELOPMENT, WHICH I BELIEVE THEY'RE COMING UP IN ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.
IT WAS ONLY A, UM, 2029, BELIEVE IT WAS.
SO, UH, THE CO THAT, THAT WAS A, A 20 YEAR RESTRICTION, I BELIEVE COUNCIL HAMMAN IF, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, 20 YEARS AGO BACK PRETTY QUICK.
ASK ALL THE OLD PEOPLE IN THE ROOM,
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GETTING DENSITY BONUSES, AND I, YOU MIGHT HAVE SAID THIS AT THE BEGINNING, BUT ARE WE REALLY JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT 8% THAT'S NOT UNDER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS? THE YES.
SO NOW I WAS TELL ALSO TELL YOU THIS, THERE THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE, THE PUD DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT SOMEONE COULD COME FORWARD AND THERE'S A, UM, IF, IF THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE AFFORDABLE UNITS, UM, THEY COULD REQUEST ADDITIONAL UNITS.
UH, TO THIS DATE, NO ONE HAS REALLY COME FORWARD, UH, WITH, WITH TRYING TO DO THAT.
UH, WE, WE ENCOURAGE IT A LOT.
EVERY TIME WE HAVE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMING IN, WE ARE ENCOURAGING, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE ENCOURAGING AND GIVING THEM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL INCENTIVES.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY FROM A PROCESS STANDPOINT, THE WAY THAT THE CODES ARE SET UP IS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO OFFEND YOUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, YOUR LEGAL BINDING CONTRACT WITH, WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL UNITS THAT ARE THEN AFFORDABLE.
UM, SO NO ONE IS, NO ONE HAS REALLY TAKEN US UP ON THAT OFFER.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL LAND, IT'S REALLY HISTORIC ABOUT SIMMONS.
UM, KEVIN, THIS, THESE ARE IDEAS OR CONCEPT THAT YOU INTRODUCE TODAY, UM, IS A LOT OF STUFF TO WORK THROUGH AND, AND, AND GET A BETTER CLEAR PICTURE HOW THEY WORK AND WHERE THEY WORK IN OTHER AREAS.
SO BEFORE WE, UH, GO TO COUNCIL FOR A WORKSHOP, I LIKE TO HAVE A WORKSHOP JUST WITH, FOR THE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO, TO GIVE MORE CLARITY SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND, UM, THE DIFFERENT SCENARIO AND HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IDEAS WITH EACH OTHER.
OR SOME MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO THAT MAY BE A, NOT A, UH, AFFORD BY HOUSING MEETING, BUT AFFORD BY, I MEAN, AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEETING, SUCH AS ON THE SECOND, BUT FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, LET'S HAVE IT ON JUST AS A CALL MEETING.
OR YOU CAN SIT AT THE ROUND TABLE, HAND AND PAPER AND, AND, UM, AND MAKE, MAKE THAT, MAKE THAT A CONSIDERATION JUDGMENT TO WHAT YOU, UH, OFFER AND MAYBE EVEN OFFER SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND I, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UH, VICKY CAN CALL AROUND, UM, AND GET ON OTHERS' CALENDAR TO SEE WHEN THAT COULD BE DONE, UM, EXPEDITIOUSLY.
I'M LOOKING AT A CALENDAR NOW SO WE CAN, CAN TIE IT DOWN WHEN WE HAVE MOST OF EVERYBODY.
NO NEED TO TAKE IT OUT OUTSIDE HERE.
UM, SO WHAT, UH, BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU, UM, WHAT WE'LL DO IS, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THE INFORMATION WE HAVE.
WE CAN QUICKLY GET PRINTED COPIES FOR YOU RIGHT NOW AND, AND GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT, AGAIN, THIS WAS MEANT TO BE A, JUST LIKE THROWN IT OUT THERE THE FIRST TIME.
UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU, LIKE, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE OR YOU DON'T LIKE, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL THEN TAKE THAT INFORMATION, WE'LL START TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH ON OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE HOPEFULLY SUCCESSFULLY, UM, DONE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, EXAMPLES OF WHERE IT HAS WORKED IN OTHER PLACES.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU,
[00:45:01]
UM, WITH THOSE EXAMPLES SHOWING HERE'S WHAT THEY DID, HERE'S WHAT THEY WORK FROM.IT'S, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU LIKE, WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, WORK THROUGH IT TO SEE BOTH, YOU KNOW, THE SUCCESS STORY OF IT, AND THEN WHAT DID THE STEPS DID THEY HAVE TO TAKE TO GET TO THAT.
UH, THAT'S, OR IN OUR WORLD, THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART IS KNOWING ALL THE STEPS THAT YOU HAVE TO, TO GO THROUGH, UH, TO GET TO THAT.
AND THEN DEFINITELY I WOULD LOVE FOR THIS GROUP TO CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION, GET US SOMETHING THAT IS TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN THEN BRING IT IN FRONT OF THE TOWN COUNCIL TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE FULL SUPPORT FOR HOUSING COMMITTEE AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO GIVE TO YOU TO LET US KNOW, IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO? AND THEN WHEN THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE THE BLESSING ON IT, WE'LL START MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS ON AND, AND WORKING ON THIS, UM, IN A TIMELY FASHION.
SO I'M ASKING THE COMMITTEE TO DO SOME OF YOUR, YOUR OWN, UM, UH, RESEARCH OR, UH, JOT DOWN WHAT YOU THINK MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER, UM, TO MAKE AFFORD HOUSING TOOLBOX MORE ACCESSIBLE.
BUT, UH, TO TODAY, UM, IS A GREAT START.
UM, BUT THAT MEETING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A 10 O'CLOCK MEETING.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A 10 O'CLOCK.
SO WE CAN FIT EVERYBODY ON THE SCHEDULE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO, TO, TO DIVE INTO THIS BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO ATTRACT NOT ONLY DEVELOPERS, BUT PRIVATE LAND OWNERS TO SAY IT IS WORTH MY TIME AND WIN
UM, ALSO THIS PRESENTATION, ALL THIS INFORMATION, I'M, I'M NOT TAKING ANY OF THE CREDIT.
I'M GIVING THE CREDIT TO CHARLOTTE WHO JUST LEFT.
AND SO YOU WENT TO PRINT THE PACKAGE.
UM, SO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE DEFINITELY, UM, DOING THE, UM, DOING A LOT OF THIS WORK.
A LOT OF THE RESEARCH, OBVIOUSLY I'M ASSISTING, UM, BUT THEY, THEY TEND TO PUT ME UP FRONT TO, TO DO THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF IT.
UM, BUT THEY ARE TRULY THE ONES THAT ARE DOING ALL THE WORK.
SO I THANK THEM FOR, FOR THE AMOUNT OF WORK THEY PUT INTO THIS, UM, TO MAKE IT TO A POINT LIKE THIS WHERE WE CAN HAVE A, A GREAT CONVERSATION.
UM, WE'VE GOT OUR MARCHING ORDERS, UM, SO CHARLIE'S PRINTING, UH, PACKETS RIGHT NOW.
UH, SO WE'LL BRING 'EM BACK OVER TO YOU.
I THINK, UH, AND WE KIND OF DROPPED, WE TALKED ABOUT
UM, SO, UH, THAT, THAT IS MOVING FORWARD.
I, I DON'T KNOW, DO YOU, I MEAN, BESIDES JUST, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE, THE MOU, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVE, I I WILL ADD ONE THING PLEASE.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WANNA SAY IS THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY TRULY A HELP TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND I'VE HAD SUCH AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM OUR EMPLOYEES THAT I'M SO EXCITED TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM TO THEM.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN IT ALREADY.
SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VALUABLE INPUT.
SO THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, TUESDAY NIGHT, UM, THEY DID INSERT ONE OF OUR SUGGESTION, MAYBE A COUPLE OF 'EM, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT WAS TO INCENTIVIZE THOSE WHO WERE, WERE LOWER A MI LEVEL TO GET MORE FUNDING, SO THAT THAT WASN'T WHO PASS BY.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FROM STAFF.
UH, SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY OUR, AS OF RIGHT NOW, OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 1ST.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE BACK ALL THIS INFORMATION, UM, DEFINITELY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
IF YOU GUYS, UM, IF YOU NEED TO SCAN IT IN, YOU WANT TO TAKE PICTURES OF IT, WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO, TO SEND BACK, UH, WHATEVER YOU HAVE.
AND IF YOU FIND SOMETHING ELSE, YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, I, I FOUND THIS.
WHAT, WHAT ABOUT THIS? IS THIS AN OPTION? AND WE'LL, WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT.
SO I BELIEVE WITH THAT, UH, WE, WE HAVE NOTHING ELSE.
MAYBE I WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING A BREAKDOWN ON MY WAY HERE TODAY, BUT I'M HERE
[00:50:01]
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU WHEN YOU GET SOME MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE.UM, IS THERE ANY CLOTHING IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE? WITH THAT BEING SAID, LOOK FOR DOLE POLLS SO WE CAN SET OUR CALENDARS ALL ON THE SAME DATE TO GO AHEAD AND SIT DOWN AND START CHARTING OUT IDEAS.
AND THAT IS ALL THAT WE HAVE FOR THE MONTH OF JULY.
AND CHARLOTTE IS BRINGING THOSE PACKETS BACK FOR YOU GUYS.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO INCREASE VOTER REGISTRATION AND INCREASED VOTER TURNOUT.
AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR CIVIC ORGANIZATION AND SOME OF OUR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION TO HELP US EDUCATE OUR VOTERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTION IN THIS PROJECT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OBSERVED IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS THAT, LIKE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, NOT AS MANY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE, ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND INVOLVED IN THE, UM, IN THE ELECTION PROCESS.
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR AND HOW DID THEY GET INVOLVED WITH VOTING AND DECIDED WE'D START THERE RATHER THAN TO START VOTER REGISTRATION WITH OLDER ADULTS.
SO WE STARTED WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE AGES 16 AND ABOVE, AND EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO VOTE AND HOW VOTING IMPACTS YOUR LIFE.
AND IN DOING THAT, WE PARTNERED WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS.
YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS OUT THERE, AND WE WANNA DO OUR FAIR SHARE OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANT TO DO AS THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND WE WENT INTO TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF VOTING FROM REGISTERING TO VOTE, UM, WITH A VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE, ISSUING VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS.
AND THIS WAS ALL DONE WITH THE SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR.
SO AS SCHOOL COUNSELOR, I'M ALSO THE, UM, ADVISOR FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUPS AND FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT.
THIS SCHOOL YEAR, I WANTED TO INVOLVE THE WHOLE SCHOOL AND GIVE A REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE ABOUT VOTING.
YOU KNOW, VOTING IS LIKE A DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
THAT'S HOW WE, EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD, A LEVEL OF PLAYING FIELD HERE IN AMERICA.
SO THAT'S YOUR ONE VOICE, BUT BRINGING MANY VOICES TOGETHER, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING CHANGE.
SO WE WANTED MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THAT ACTUALLY ALL WORKS.
THE STUDENTS, THEY REALLY GOT INVOLVED.
UM, MOST OF THEM WERE NERVOUS, AND SOME OF, WE ACTUALLY RAN A REGISTRATION PROCESS.
SO WE SAT UP IN OUR CAFETERIA MAYBE FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS, AND THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO COME OVER AND VISIT THE TABLE AND ACTUALLY FILL OUT A VOTER REGISTRATION CARD, IS WHAT WE CALLED IT.
THIS IS A, AN ENLARGED VERSION OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION.
UM, AT THE TOP IT SAYS, ARE YOU A STUDENT AT ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY? THE STUDENT WOULD CHECK YES OR NO.
IF YES, WILL YOU BE, BE BETWEEN FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADE ON ELECTION DAY.
AND AT THE BOTTOM, THEY WILL NEED TO REVIEW ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY FILLED OUT, AND IF IT WERE TRUE TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEY WOULD SIGN IT.
THEY BROUGHT IN FOUR MACHINES AND THEY SET UP IN CLASSROOM C ONE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO FILTER THROUGH C ONE WITH THEIR REGISTRATION CARD.
AND WITH THEIR REGISTRATION CARD, THEY WERE ABLE TO WALK TO THE TABLE, SIGNED IN, AND THEN WALK OVER TO THE VOTING MACHINES TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, OR TREASURER.
THE KIDS WERE ECSTATIC ABOUT DOING THIS BECAUSE THEY REALIZED AT THAT MOMENT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS.
THE, THE CANDIDATES WERE CAMPAIGNING, THEY MADE POSTERS, UM, CAMPAIGN POSTERS, AND THEY WERE GOING OUT GIVING SPEECHES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS NATHAN T AND I'M RUNNING FOR STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO CAMPAIGN.
SO WE RECORDED SOME CAMPAIGN ADS FOR OUR MORNING TELEVISION NEWS SHOW, RSIA
[00:55:01]
TODAY.UM, THOSE ADS, UH, ROTATED AND AIRED DAILY, JUST AS IF IT WOULD'VE BEEN FOR, FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
WE ACTUALLY GOT THE TICKET FROM THE, UH, BOARD OF REGISTRATIONS.
THEY PRINT A TICKET WITH ALL THE RESULTS FROM THE POLLS.
SO WE GOT THE POLL REPORT AND THEN, UH, AND THEN WE CREATED THAT AND TURNED THAT INTO A GRAPHIC AND, UH, SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION THAT WAY.
THE VOTES ARE IN, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S MAYBE NOT SURPRISING, IT KIND OF REINFORCED THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE THAT ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THEY'VE EITHER LOST FAITH IN THE SYSTEM OR THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEIR VOTE COUNTS AND THEY PASS THAT ON TO YOUNG PEOPLE SUCH THAT YOUNG PEOPLE NOW FEEL AS THOUGH, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF I VOTE OR NOT VOTE? AND THAT'S WHO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH.
SO WE CAN CHANGE THAT KIND OF THINKING AND PERHAPS EVEN GET THEM TO REENGAGE THEIR CAREGIVER OR THEIR PARENTS OR OTHER ADULTS IN THE WHOLE PROCESS.
I WANTED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I WOULD'VE BEEN A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT.
SO I RAN AND I HAD TO DO A SPEECH FOR, UM, TO GO ON OUR DAILY NEWS.
AND SO AFTER I DID THE SPEECH, I WAITED ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO, AND THEN WE VOTED AND I GOT THE PAPER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DID, AND I HAD TO DO THE PAPER, AND I GOT MY CARD AND WE WENT TO GO VOTE.
AND OBVIOUSLY I VOTED FOR MYSELF.
SO I USUALLY SEE, LIKE, MY PARENTS USUALLY TELL ME, OH, I'M GONNA GO VOTE.
AND I ALWAYS WONDER LIKE, WHAT IS IT LIKE? SO TO ACTUALLY GET THE EXPERIENCE AND ACTUALLY USE IT, IT FELT, IT FELT REAL DURING THE PROJECT.
UM, THE STUDENTS WHERE I WAS KIND OF HELPING OUT AT, AT THE BOOTH, THEY KIND OF CAME OVER AND ASKED, UM, WAS IT THE POLL THAT THEIR PARENT ACTUALLY USED? SO IT KIND OF GAVE THEM THAT REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT MOM AND DAD DO DURING THE VOTING, VOTING TIME.
IN THE PAST, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WORK WITH, UM, OUR AGING POPULATION.
WE WENT OUT TO, UM, NURSING AND ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, REGISTERING PEOPLE, EDUCATING THE RESIDENTS THERE ON, UM, VOTING REGISTER, UH, IN OUR COUNTY, AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE READY FOR MAJOR ELECTIONS.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND WE ARE ALSO PLANNING TO DO IT, UH, CONTINUE TO DO IT FOR OUR, UH, CITIZENS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, DOING GENERAL ELECTION YEARS.
WE GO OUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS, AND WE TRAIN THEM ON BECOMING POLL MANAGERS AND THEY PARTICIPATE WITH US DURING OUR GENERAL ELECTIONS, WORKING THE PRECINCT AS A POLL MANAGER.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST KIDS, UM, THAT WE HAVE WORKING AT THOSE PRECINCTS, WORKING WITH OUR CITIZENS.
BUT THE PART THAT WAS MOST, I THINK, IMPORTANT FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WAS TO ACTUALLY HAVE THEM VOTE.
MANY OF THEM HAD NEVER SEEN A VOTING MACHINE.
THEY OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF THEIR AGES HAD NOT VOTED.
SO WENDELL WAS VERY ACCOMMODATING.
AND COMING IN AND DOING A TUTORIAL WITH THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AND EXPLAINING THE PROCESS, THE STAFF, UH, THEY WERE JUST EXCITED THAT THE STUDENTS, UM, THE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH SOME OF THE LESSONS.
UM, AND JUST TO SHOW WHERE THINGS WERE IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES AND HOW VOTER VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES CAME ABOUT.
UM, IT TAKES EVERY, EVERY VOTE THAT'S OUT THERE VERSUS JUST ME SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE TODAY.
SO WITH US INSTILLING, UM, THIS AUTHENTIC LESSON IN LIFE OF BEING ABLE TO VOTE, UM, WE HOPE THAT IT RESONATES THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES SO THAT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO VOTE AT 18, THEY MAKE IT AS MEANINGFUL AS POSSIBLE AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY SO THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM AND FOR THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.