[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION.ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE.
[III. ADOPTION OF MINUTES]
UM, MIN IS, CAN WE GET A MOTION TO ADOPT? SO MOVED.[IV. PUBLIC COMMENT]
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW VISITORS.AND SIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED? YEAH, MY NAME'S TOM S I'M WITH THE, UH, HILTON ISLAND WELCOME CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND I'M ALSO SERVING THE BOARD OF THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST.
AND I'M HERE JUST TO, JUST TO LISTEN.
HI, I'M HEATHER RAF AND I'M HERE WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
SO I'LL MOVE US INTO OUR BUDGET FOR THE MONTH.
[VI.1. FY2025 Neighborhood Assistance Program Budget Update]
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 HAS BEEN APPROVED AT 400,000 BY TOWN COUNCIL.AN ADDITIONAL 1 44 WAS ADDED TO THE BUDGET BY A GRANT AWARDED TO THE PROGRAM BY BEFORD JASPER HOUSING TRUST.
ON AUGUST 22ND, I UH, SUBMITTED OUR FIRST SET OF WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THOSE FUNDS.
THAT SET OF, UM, WORK WAS SUBMITTED ON OCTOBER 15TH IN ORDER FOR US TO GET OUR FIRST, UH, TRANSFER.
SO I GOT AN EMAIL THIS MORNING FROM JENNIFER FROM THE, BUT TRANSFER HOUSING AND THAT WIRE WAS MADE ON YESTERDAY.
IT WASN'T ONE LUMP SUM OF 1 44.
AS WE DID THE WORK, THE MONEY WOULD BE PUT BACK INTO THE POT.
SO THAT BRINGS THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET TO 544,019.
HOMES HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN, EXCUSE ME, 19 HOMES HAVE RECEIVED HOME REPAIRS AT A TOTAL OF 1 15 9 9 1 53.
TO DATE, SIX HOMES HAVE BEEN SERVICED FOR SEPTIC PUMP OUTS OR PLUMBING SERVICES AT A TOTAL OF 3002 24.
ONE HOME HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR TREE SERVICE AT 205.
HOMES ARE CURRENTLY BEING SERVICED FOR REPAIRS AND OR WAITING ON ESTIMATES TO BE SUBMITTED.
THREE HOMES WILL BE VISITED BY TOWN BUILDING SAFETY TO INSPECT HOME REPAIRS REQUESTS IN THE NEXT WEEK.
AND I AM GOING OUT WITH BUILDING SAFETY FOR THOSE TREE HOMES ON NEXT WEEK.
ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON FIRE SHIP DISTRICT HOSTED A SMOKE ALARM BLITZ IN THE BRENDA WOODS COMMITTEE.
I REPRESENTED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
WE INSTALLED 114 10 YEAR SMOKE ALARMS AND WAS PLACED IN 33 HOMES.
THIS WAS A SUCCESSFUL EVENT AND ALL ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN.
SO, UM, JUST TO REITERATE THAT, IT WAS A A NICE DAY.
WE, UM, STARTED A LITTLE AFTER NINE.
UM, I WAS WITH THE DIFFERENT TON OF BLUFFTON BLUFF AND FIRE SHRIMP AND HAR GRADE DONATED THE, THE SNACKS AND THINGS.
I THINK WE FINISHED UP A LITTLE AFTER ONE, SO IT WAS A GOOD, UH, PROGRAM FOR US.
AND LIKE WE SAID HERE, OUT OF THE 64 HOMES, 33 HOMES RECEIVED SMOKE DETECTORS.
ANY QUESTIONS THERE? IS THERE ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO AFTERWARDS? YES.
SO, UM, WHAT WE DO WITH OUR FARM AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE DO THE HOME REPAIRS AND THEN LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, THE CONTRACTOR WILL SAY THEY NEED TO BE UPDATED.
SMOKE ALARMS, NO, PLEASE TAKE THAT OFF OF YOUR ESTIMATE.
I DON'T WANNA SPEND MONEY ON THAT BECAUSE I CAN WORK WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROBABLY GO TO THE OTHER, UH, HABITAT HOMES THAT'S ON VILLE.
SO THERE IS NOT SET IN STONE YET, BUT THAT'D PROBABLY BE THE NEXT COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN GET TO RIGHT AWAY.
OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I'LL LET THE FIRE DEPARTMENT KNOW IF I'VE DONE ABOUT 15 OR 20 HOMES, I'LL BACKTRACK TO THOSE 15 OR 20 HOMES THAT SCATTERED THROUGHOUT.
I WAS OUT OF TOWN THAT WEEKEND, SO NO PROBLEM.
I GOT MY STEPS IN
NO, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
[00:05:01]
AND UM, TO GET OUR NAME OUT THERE AND I ALSO THINK THEY DID A NEWS BRIEFING ON, UH, WSAB.SO IT GOT OUR NAME OUT THERE, SO WE'RE GOOD WITH THAT.
AND I'D ALWAYS GIVE YOU GUYS A BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THE FUNDS ARE.
WE'RE HOLDING THE BOOK OF POCKETBOOK.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WE GOT A COUPLE JOBS OUT THERE AND I WAS TELLING HALF THE COMMITTEE EARLIER, WE DO HAVE SOME BIGGER JOBS COMING IN.
UH, KEVIN WAS SUPPOSED TO TOUCH ON THIS AT STRATEGIC PLANNING LAST WEEK.
I KNOW WE SET AT 15 IF WE NEED AN EXTRA FIVE, WE COME TO YOU.
UM, WE HAVEN'T BEEN MEETING TO GET TO THAT EXTRA FIVE, WHICH MAKES IT 20, BUT WE ARE SEEING SOME BIGGER JOBS.
SO WE MIGHT WANNA DISCUSS UPPING, YOU KNOW, THAT 20,000, 20,000 OFF THE BAT.
BUT IF WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL FIVE TO MAKE IT, MAYBE 25 SINCE WE HAVE THE FUNDS, WE CAN GO THERE.
IT'S NOT SET IN STONE YET, BUT IT'S AN IDEA FOR YOU GUYS TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT.
'CAUSE WE ARE SEEING SOME BIGGER JOBS AND PRICES ARE STILL GOING UP FOR MATERIAL AND, UH, CONTRACTOR COSTS.
UM, WE AREN'T STILL WORKING WITH THE TWO OR THREE CONTRACTORS.
WE HAVE A POCKETBOOK FULL OF CONTRACTORS RIGHT NOW.
SUPERIOR SERVICES, UH, LARRY JACKSON ROOFING, UH, FIELDS AND COMPANY WE HAVEN'T WORKED WITH A WHILE.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE ABLE TO GET UP TO THOSE TWO OR THREE ESTIMATES THAT WE'VE BEEN NEEDING TO GET, UM, AND MAKE A FINAL DECISION OF WHO'S GONNA GIVE US THE MOST WORK FOR THE MONEY.
ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT WOULD A BIGGER JOB ENTAIL OTHER THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING BEFORE? SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW OLD A HOME IS.
IF YOU HAVE A A ROOFING JOB, YOU HAVE TO DO A WHOLE NEW ROOF.
AND BECAUSE OF THE ROOFING JOB, YOU HAVE TO COME IN AND DO INTERIOR CEILING WORK.
AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT SOMETIMES THAT CEILING WORK HAS GONE INTO THE WALLS.
SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT ELECTRICAL.
ELECTRICAL IS NOT IN OUR SCOPE OF FORMS, BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TAKE SOMETHING APART YOU DEFINITELY HAVE TO PUT IT BACK.
SO YOU ARE LOOKING AT ELECTRICAL WHEN IT COMES TO THE WET CEILINGS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PLUMBING JOBS LATELY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S UM, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN CERTAIN HOMES OR WHAT'S BACKING UP WITH PLUMBING.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF PLUMBING.
KNOCK ON WOOD, WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING ANY SEPTIC BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF OUR SEPTIC JOBS ARE NOW TIED IN.
OUR SEPTIC JOBS HAVE CUT, BUT THEN WE PICKED UP OTHER PLUMBING ISSUES.
SO, UM, YEAH, YOU DROP ONE, PICK UP ANOTHER ONE.
BUT WE HAD THE FUND, SO WE'RE TRYING TO UTILIZE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE BECOMING A GENERAL CONTRACTOR NOW.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GO BACK TO
SO I FOLLOW THE BUILDING AND THE BUILDING, UM, SAFETY AND THEN I FOLLOW THE CONTRACTORS WHEN I GO.
SO, YOU KNOW, PUT ON MY HARD HAT AND MY WORK BOOTS.
YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
ANY QUESTIONS? MORE QUESTIONS? DO YOU DO ANY EXTERMINATION ISSUES YOU DON'T HAVE? NO.
IF WE DO HAVE CALLS FOR THAT AND THE CONTRACTOR WILL SAY YOU NEED TO GET RID OF THE TERMITES OR WHATEVER BEFORE WE DO THE WORK, I'LL SEND THEM OVER TO BLUFF AND SELF HELP.
MAYBE BLUFF AND SELF-HELP CAN PAY THAT BILL BEFORE WE GO IN AND DO WHAT WE DO.
BUT NO, WE DON'T, WE DON'T PICK THAT UP.
[VI.2. Adoption of 2025 Affordable Housing Meeting Dates]
ON THE SCHEDULE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON.IT'S SCARY, BUT WE ARE AT 2025.
UM, HERE IS AN OUTLINE OF THE MEETING DATES FOR NEXT YEAR.
I KNOW YOU PROBABLY CAN'T THINK THAT FAR AHEAD, BUT, UM, RIGHT NOW WE DO NEED TO VOTE TO PICK UP THIS CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO I'LL PASS IT BACK OVER TO CHAIRMAN FOR A MOTION CALL.
WILL EVERYBODY TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE, SEE IF THERE'S ANY CONFLICTS.
WE DID SWAP OUT, UH, OUR JANUARY MEETING AND WE DID SWAP OUT OUR JULY MEETING BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MEETING DAYS FOR 28 25? SO MOVED.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO THE TOP OF OUR AGENDA.
WE HAVE MS. BRENDA DOOLEY, BUT BEFORE I
[Additional Item]
BRING MS. BRENDA UP, I AM GOING TO PASS THE MIC OVER TO MS. MARK MAXWELL, WHO IS PART OF OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.HE IS ALSO HELPING US WITH OUR MAY, OUR 10 95, UH, TOWN HOMES.
NOT MUCH OF AN UPDATE, BUT HE HAS AN UPDATE AND I LET YOU GIVE HIM ALL YOUR QUESTIONS BECAUSE HE KNOWS, AS VICKI SAID, MY NAME IS MARK MAXWELL AND I'M A PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE TOWN.
AND HEATHER COHEN, THE ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER, TASKED ME WITH HELPING TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD IF THEY MAY.
[00:10:01]
THE CIVIL DESIGN IS COMPLETE.IT'S BEEN PERMITTED AND IT'S BEEN, OUT FORBID THE DEVELOPER REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS AND DID NOT GET MUCH OF A RESPONSE, BUT HE DID GET ONE, UH, THAT RESPONDED WITH SOME PRICING AND IT CAME IN HIGH AS EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BEEN HERE LATELY.
SO HE IS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CONTRACTOR, TRYING TO GET THE PRICING MORE IN THE ORDER.
SO AS SOON AS WE GET, UH, SOMETHING FROM HIM, WE HAVE THE FINANCING IS IN PLACE TO MOVE FORWARD AS SOON AS WE CAN GET A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD AND STARTED ON THE GRADING WORK.
BUT AS FAR AS THAT GOES, I MEAN, THAT'S BASICALLY THE, THE UPDATE, THE VERTICAL DESIGN IS UNDERWAY.
IT SHOULD BE COMPLETE SHORTLY, BUT WE'RE JUST WAITING TO GET STARTED AS SOON AS WE CAN GET A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD TO DO THE WORK.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE REASON THAT WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING CONTRACTORS TO BID ON THIS? WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS RIGHT NOW THERE'S SO MUCH, UH, COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION GOING ON THAT NOBODY NEEDS WORK.
IT'S HARD TO FUNCTION BANDWIDTH MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
WHAT'S THAT FUNCTION OF BANDWIDTH MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THEY REACHED OUT TO THE NUMBER OF FOLKS AND REACHED OUT TO ALL THE CONTACTS FOLKS THAT COULD DO IT AND JUST ONE, ONE PERSON, I THINK HE SAID SIX PEOPLE, SIX OR SEVEN.
THEY REACHED OUT TO ONLY ONE RESPONDENT.
AND IS THAT, THAT'S ON THEM TO, TO DO, IT'S NOT LIKE A TOWN RFP, THE TOWN IS PAYING FOR IT, BUT THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE CONTRACT OR THROUGH THE DEVELOPER.
SO THE TOWN HAS A CONTRACT WITH A DEVELOPER TO BUILD THIS PROJECT AND WE ARE FINANCING IT.
THE FIRST, I CAN'T REMEMBER RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD HOW MUCH THEY ALREADY HAD A BUILDER PART OF THE TEAM.
BUT THEY'RE, WHAT KIND OF CONTRACTOR ARE WE LOOKING FOR? OH, CIVIL GRADING CONTRACTOR.
TO DO THE WATER SEWER CONDUIT FOR THE POWER.
BUT AS FAR AS THE VERTICAL, YES, THE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION IS PART OF THE TEAM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTION? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S THAT NOT KIND OF WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR, BUT THIS IS AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE HAVE THERE.
[VII.1. Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry, Brenda Dooley, CEO ]
NOW GOING TO PASS THE MIC TO MS. BRENDA DOOLEY FROM BLACK AND AT THAT HUMANITY.THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING ME TO COME BACK AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
IT'S BEEN PROBABLY A COUPLE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN BEFORE YOU ALL.
I SEE SOME NEW FACES ON THIS, UH, COMMITTEE, SO I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING COUPLE OF YEARS ACTUALLY.
THERE'S A LOT BEEN GOING ON WITH HABITAT, SO I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DO AN UPDATE FOR YOU AND, AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT ALL WE'VE BEEN UP TO.
UM, THE BIGGEST THING IS WE WENT THROUGH A MERGER.
SO WE'VE COME THROUGH THE FIRST YEAR OF A MERGER OF THE TWO HABITAT AFFILIATES THAT WERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE ARE NOW ONE AFFILIATE SERVING ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ALL OF JASPER COUNTY.
SO IT'S, UM, IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING YEAR AND, UM, FORTUNATELY WE HAD A GREAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND A GREAT STAFF TEAM THAT, UH, MADE IT ALL GO VERY SMOOTHLY.
SO IN TOTAL, BETWEEN THE TWO AFFILIATES SINCE 1990, WE'VE DONE 181 HOMES AND WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT WE'RE SERVING IN, IN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LIVING HERE, WORKING HERE, SHOPPING HERE, PAYING THEIR TAXES HERE, AND ARE VERY ENGAGED IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FAMILIES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AND, AND ABLE TO SERVE.
SO, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME NEW FACES HERE, I JUST WANNA DO SOME BASIC OVERVIEW OF, OF THE HABITAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND, AND THIS REALLY TAKES IT TO THE BASICS.
UM, IT, IT KIND OF OVERSIMPLIFIES OUR PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT, BUT GIVES YOU KIND OF AN IDEA OF WHAT IT TAKES FOR US TO KEEP OUR PROGRAM GOING.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE VOLUNTEERS.
UM, SOME THAT COME OUT EVERY WEEK, IF WEDNESDAY'S THEIR DAY TO COME OUT AND WORK ON THE JOB SITE, THEY'RE THERE EVERY WEDNESDAY OR THEY'RE OUT OF TOWN.
UM, AND THEN THOSE EXPERIENCED VOLUNTEERS CAN HELP US LEAD THOSE INEXPERIENCED VOLUNTEERS THAT SHOW UP EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE OR COME OUT TO HELP EVERY NOW AND AGAIN.
UM, DONORS AGAIN, WE'RE VERY BLESSED WITH DONORS.
OUR, OUR FUNDING COMES FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES, UM, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT.
I WANTED TO JUST POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS WHERE WE'VE HAD RECENTLY, UM, WORKING WITH OUR, OUR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, UM, FROM THE STATE THANKS TO SENATOR TOM DAVIS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET $2 MILLION TO HELP US WITH A PROJECT THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON OUT BY HARDY, WHERE WE HAVE 161 ACRES THAT WE'LL BE BUILDING HOMES ON.
[00:15:01]
WORKED WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD AND THEY SET ASIDE $500,000 FOR US TO PURCHASE LAND ON HILTON HEAD SO THAT WE CAN BUILD HOUSING ON THE ISLAND AGAIN.AND THEN OF COURSE, IT TAKES FAMILIES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF FAMILIES.
I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO YOUR MEETINGS WHERE YOU'VE HAD A A STAFF MEMBER TALKING ABOUT THE STRUGGLES SHE'S GONE THROUGH AND I HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO GET HER IN A HOME FINALLY.
UM, WE HEAR THOSE STORIES ALL THE TIME.
UM, WE START OUR PROCESS WITH AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING.
WE HAVE THE FAMILIES COME IN AND LEARN ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
THE LAST TIME WE HAD 200 FAMILIES THAT CAME IN TO HEAR ABOUT OUR PROGRAM, WE SELECTED 10.
NOW GRANTED, WHEN THEY COME TO THAT INFORMATIONAL MEETING, SOME OF THEM REALIZE THEY'RE NOT READY YET TO BE PART OF THE PROGRAM, SO THEY DON'T ALL APPLY.
BUT WE DID HAVE ABOUT 40 TO 50 FAMILIES WHO DID APPLY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SELECT 10 AT THAT TIME.
AND WE'RE FORTUNATE RIGHT NOW, WE DO HAVE LAND, UM, IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON TWO HOUSES OUT BY THE AIR STATION.
AND THEN WE HAVE THREE LOTS IN RIDGELAND WHERE WE WILL GO AFTER THAT TO BUILD HOMES.
SO THE PROCESS ITSELF, UM, IS ONE THAT WORKS.
THE HABITAT PROGRAM IS A SUCCESSFUL MODEL FOR HOME OWNERSHIP.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE DO OUR COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS FIRST TO START THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
OUR, OUR APPLICANTS GO THROUGH AN INTENSE PROCESS JUST LIKE ALL OF US DID WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR HOMES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR, UM, BACKGROUND.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR FINANCES, WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR CREDIT.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT'S UNIQUE TO US IS WE DO A HOME VISIT.
SO WHEN YOU'VE GOT 50 FAMILIES APPLYING AND YOU CAN ONLY SELECT 10, WE KIND OF HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT WHO'S GOT THE GREATEST NEED AT THAT POINT.
AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT IS ACTUALLY GO TO THAT HOME AND MAKE A VISIT.
SO WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL GO OUT AND, AND DO A HOME VISIT ALSO.
THEN ONCE THEY COME IN TO OUR PROGRAM, IT'S NOT A QUICK FIX.
IT TAKES OUR HOME BUYERS ABOUT A YEAR TO GO THROUGH OUR PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY HAVE THOSE SWEAT EQUITY HOURS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES US A LITTLE WHILE TO BUILD A HOME.
ALSO, THEY WILL, UM, IF IT'S A SINGLE APPLICANT, THEY WILL HAVE A, UM, 300 HOURS OF SWEAT EQUITY THAT THEY DO.
THAT INCLUDES WORKING ON THEIR OWN HOME, WORKING ON OTHERS' HOMES.
THEY CAN VOLUNTEER IN OUR RESTORE TO GET THOSE HOURS.
UM, THEY ALSO HAVE TO TAKE HOME, UH, UM, WORKSHOPS, MANDATED WORKSHOPS THAT THEY HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN.
WE WANT THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE TEACHING THEM ABOUT BUDGETING.
MOST OF THEM HAVE NEVER DONE A BUDGET BEFORE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PREDATORY LENDING INSURANCE, BUYING INSURANCE FOR YOUR, YOUR, THIS NEW ASSET THAT YOU HAVE.
I HAVE TO REMIND THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN, HABITAT WILL NOT BE YOU LANDLORD.
YOU ARE BUYING THIS HOME FROM US.
SO WE TALK ABOUT, WE TEACH THEM SKILLS, FIRST OF ALL, HOW TO USE SOME OF THE POWER TOOLS AND HOW TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS.
AND THEN WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T DO? WHAT ARE THE THINGS WHERE YOU SHOULD CALL IN A PROFESSIONAL TO DO IT? AND THAT TAKES THEM BACK TO THAT BUDGET.
YOU NEED A BUDGET FOR THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS BEFORE THEY GET INTO THAT HOME.
AND THEN ONCE THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR SWEAT EQUITY AND WE'VE COMPLETED THEIR HOME, OR ALL OF US TOGETHER HAVE COMPLETED THAT HOME, THEY WILL HAVE A MORTGAGE TO HABITAT.
THEY PAY THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS TO US.
UM, THAT'S SET UP SO THAT THEIR PAYMENTS WILL NOT BE MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE A SILENT SECOND MORTGAGE.
SO WE GET AN APPRAISAL ON THE HOME WHEN IT'S DONE.
THE FIRST MORTGAGE THAT THEY WILL PAY BACK TO US REPRESENTS WHAT IT COSTS US TO BUILD THAT HOME.
THE SECOND MORTGAGE WILL BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
AS LONG AS THEY STAY IN THE HOME, IT'S THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
THEY'RE MAKING THEIR MONTHLY PAYMENTS, THEY'RE DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT THEIR MORTGAGE REQUIRES THEM TO DO.
THAT SILENT SECOND WILL GO AWAY.
SO WE ARE LOOKING, UM, AT, AT OUR TRADITIONAL WAY OF DOING THINGS, OBVIOUSLY, AND I HEARD SOME OF YOU TALKING BEFORE THIS MEETING, WE HAVE TO BE MORE CREATIVE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND, AND HOW WE'RE SERVING OUR FAMILIES.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO GO BEYOND THAT ONE HOUSE AT A TIME.
SINGLE FAMILY NEW CONSTRUCTION APPROACH.
UM, WE HAVE DONE, UH, WHEN I WAS WORKING AT THE AFFILIATE NORTH OF THE BROAD, WE DID SOME REHAB PROJECTS, SOME FORECLOSED PROPERTIES WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE AND MADE THOSE HOMES BEAUTIFUL AND, AND SOLD THEM TO FAMILIES.
WE ARE LOOKING AT DUPLEXES IN TOWNHOUSES, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
AND THEN, UH, WE'VE DONE SOME REPAIRS AND I'LL, I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE THERE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE MOSTLY LOOKING AT MINOR REPAIRS AND EXTERIOR REPAIRS, BUT WE ARE EXPANDING OUR REPAIR PROGRAM AND, UM, WORKING WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AND, AND WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM,
[00:20:01]
PROVIDE MIXED INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER TOO.
AND WE CAN WORK WITH FAMILIES WHO OWN THEIR OWN LAND AND, AND ARE LIVING IN A HOME THAT'S JUST NOT BEYOND REPAIR.
THEY CAN'T JUST DO A REPAIR OR A REHAB, UM, OR A MOBILE HOME THAT'S JUST GONE WAY BEYOND, UM, ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY HERE IN BLUFFTON.
WE'VE DONE TWO COMMUNITIES IN BLUFFTON STARTING BACK IN 1997.
WE'VE BUILT HOMES FOR 74 FAMILIES.
MOST OF THOSE WERE BUILT IN BRENDAN WOODS BETWEEN 2000 AND 2007.
IT'S BEEN SINCE 2012 SINCE WE BUILT A NEW HOME IN BLUFFTON.
SO, UH, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO BLUFFTON AND, AND DO SOME MORE.
UM, 84% OF THOSE ORIGINAL HOMEOWNERS ARE STILL IN THEIR HOMES AND ALMOST A QUARTER OF THEM HAVE PAID THEIR MORTGAGES IN FULL.
THIS PICTURE I HAD TO SHARE, THIS IS WHEN WE WERE WORKING IN BRENDAN WOODS, SOME OF THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO RECREATE THAT.
IF I COULD FIND THOSE KIDS AND RECREATE THAT PICTURE NOW, 20 SOME YEARS LATER, I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN MISS LILY GOES TO MY CHURCH FOR ME, SHE GOES TO MY CHURCH.
WE, WE REALLY NEED TO DO THAT.
WE'VE, WE'VE DONE REPAIRS IN BRENDAN WOODS.
QUITE A FEW REPAIRS IN BRENDAN WOODS.
AS I SAID, IT'S BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN IN THEIR HOMES NOW 20 PLUS YEARS.
UM, WE'VE DONE 37 REPAIR PROJECTS.
MOST OF THOSE WERE PORCHES THAT WERE JUST HORRIBLE.
SOME OF THEM I WALKED ACROSS AND WAS SO NERVOUS THINKING ABOUT PARENTS CARRYING KIDS ACROSS THAT PORCH OR GROCERIES ACROSS THAT PORCH.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REPLACE A LOT OF THOSE.
MS. LILY IS ONE OF OUR HOMEOWNERS.
MS. LILY IS, SHE'S NINE FOUR OR NINE FIVE NOW.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY TOOK A SPILL OFF OF HER PORCH BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING IN SUCH DISREPAIR AND WE WERE ABLE TO REPLACE HER PORCH FOR HER.
AND SHE IS THRILLED AS WE ALL ARE.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT ARE BIGGER PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE ROOFING PROJECTS, WE SEND THEM TO VICKY.
WE KEEP HER PHONE NUMBER VERY CLOSE AND, AND REFER PEOPLE WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE NEEDING THOSE BIGGER PROJECTS.
UM, TAKING CARE OF, AND AS SHE MENTIONED EARLIER, I DO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO BLUFF AND FIRE AND POLICE WHO CAME IN AND, AND DID THOSE INSTALLATIONS OF THE SMOKE ALARMS. OUR OUR FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE THEM COME IN AND DO THAT.
SO THIS IS OUR NEWEST PROJECT THAT WE'VE JUST COMPLETED.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES OF HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH MUNICIPALITIES AND PUB OR PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AND HABITAT.
UM, THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP IN HARDY, RIGHT ON MAIN STREET WHERE IT STARTED WITH THE CITY OF HARDY HAVING SOME LAND THAT THEY WANTED TO DO SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON IT.
UM, FOR RENO, A PRIVATE DEVELOPER WHO, UM, AGREED TO BUILD THESE UNITS TO, UM, SELL TO HABITAT AND THEN WE WOULD SELL THEM TO OUR HOMEOWNERS.
IF YOU SEE THE, THE FIVE BUILDINGS THERE ON ONE SIDE, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT, THERE ARE FIVE THAT LOOK JUST LIKE THAT IN THE PARKING LOT IN THE MIDDLE.
UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE 10 FAMILIES NEXT WEEK CLOSE ON THEIR HOMES AND ALL OF THEM BE MOVED IN IN TIME FOR THANKSGIVING.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
RENO BUILT THE UNITS, WE PURCHASED THE UNITS FROM THEM AND WE'RE SELLING THEM TO OUR HOMEOWNERS.
JUST HOME BUYERS, JUST LIKE WE WOULD NORMALLY.
THEY STILL HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE HABITAT REQUIREMENTS.
THEY HAD TO APPLY AND BE QUALIFIED JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE.
THEY'LL HAVE MORTGAGES JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE WHO GOES THROUGH OUR PROJECT, OUR PROGRAM.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE FARINA WAS DOING THE UNITS.
THEY COULDN'T DO AS MUCH SWEAT EQUITY ON THEIR OWN UNITS.
NORMALLY WE REQUIRE THEM TO WORK ON THEIR OWN HOMES 40 HOURS.
UM, WE, WE WAIVED THAT THIS TIME.
UM, BUT THEY DID DO SOME THINGS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SOME THINGS, UM, ON THEIR OWN UNITS THAT MADE IT STILL THEIRS.
WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
SO WE'RE HOPING, UM, THAT WE CAN WORK WITH YOU ALL HERE IN BLUFFTON TO DO SOME THINGS.
UM, I MENTIONED THAT WE'VE HAD DONATION OF LAND.
WE'VE HAD LAND DONATED ON HILTON HEAD IN THE PAST FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, WE HAD THAT FUNDING THAT, UM, THE AFFILIATED AGENCIES PROCESS
IF, IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER WHO'S GONNA BE BUILDING IN, IN BLUFFTON AND WE CAN BE PART OF THEIR PROGRAM, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, JUST REFERRALS.
A FAMILIES WHO ARE IN NEED OF HOUSING AND IF THEY'VE GOT THEIR
[00:25:01]
OWN LAND, UM, FOR THAT, IF THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LAND, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE'RE IN AN APPLICATION PROCESS.THEY CAN COME AND, AND TALK TO US ANYTIME ABOUT THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU.
AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, NOT AT THE MOMENT.
I, I PROBABLY WILL, UM, PULL INTO SOME THINGS THAT I'VE CONSIDERED, SO I'LL REACH OUT IF WE CAN GET YOUR NUMBER.
I KNOW DAVID JONES WAS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO HAD EXISTING PROPERTY, UM, BUT JUST NEEDED HELP BUILDING A HOUSE.
AND I, I HEARD YOU ALL TALKING AGAIN.
UH, BEFORE THE MEETING, THERE WAS MENTION OF A, A COTTAGE IN THE CASE OF DAVID, WE WERE LOOKING AT BUILDING JUST A SMALL, ALL HE NEEDED WAS A, WE WERE GONNA DO A TWO BEDROOM COTTAGE BECAUSE HE DID HAVE A FULL-TIME CAREGIVER.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN FULLY HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, DAVID PASSED BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO, BUT WE DO HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT.
WHICH IS, I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE A GRADING CONTRACTOR? RIGHT? DO YOU HAVE A CIVIL GRADING CONTRACTOR? DO YOU HAVE THE MISSING PIECE TO THIS PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW? UM, I HOPE THAT'S MY CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, BUT I, FOR THE COMMENT, IT IS VERY HARD TO GET HITS RIGHT NOW ON EVERYTHING AND COSTS ARE HIGH.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST A COMMENT TO SAY LIKE, I, I COULD SEE IN THE FUTURE HOW WE CAN PARTNER ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, ESPECIALLY USING YOUR FORMATS AS COTTAGES AS, UM, PARTNERING, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, JUST THE WORKSHOPS AND HOME MAINTENANCE.
SO SAY WE GET DOWN THE ROAD AND THAT WE DO OFFER THAT STRUCTURE, UM, HAVING THAT PART OF, PART OF OUR TOOLBOX, THE HOME MAINTENANCE AND, UM, BUDGETING WORKSHOPS ALSO.
SO I, I SEE THE ALIGNMENT WITH PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, JUST CURIOUS, WHY HASN'T HABITAT, HABITAT BUILT IN BLUFFTON IN, UM, YOU KNOW, 12 YEARS? IS IT 'CAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE LAND OR? WE HAD LAND DONATED BY HIL HAD WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD 32 HOMES AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST, ACTUALLY SINCE THAT POINT IN TIME.
UM, BUT WE ARE FINISHED THERE NOW AND UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE KIND OF MOVING AROUND RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE IN BUFORT AND WE'LL BE IN RICHMOND.
UM, AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HOME AND OURSELVES HOUSE? SO THAT SECOND MORTGAGE WOULD COME INTO PLAY IF THEY SOLD THEIR HOME EARLY, UM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPAY THE BALANCE OF THAT SECOND MORTGAGE, THE ONE THAT WOULD JUST GO AWAY.
OTHERWISE, IF THEY STAYED IN THE HOME, UM, THEY HAVE TO COME TO US FIRST.
WE HAVE THE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL AND THEN, UM, THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY, IF, IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE IT AT THAT TIME TO GO OUT ON THE OPEN MARKET, BUT THEY HAVE TO REPAY THAT SEPARATE MORTGAGE.
ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO STAY IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THAT? HOW LONG DO THEY STAY BEFORE THAT SECOND MORTGAGE GOES AWAY? IT GENERALLY RUNS WITH THE FIRST MORTGAGE.
SO IF THE FIRST MORTGAGE IS 30 YEARS, 30 YEARS.
SO THEY JUST GET AN APPRAISAL.
AND THEN DO YOU HAVE ANY PROGRAMS OR LIKE FOR THE ELDERLY WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE A JOB AND QUALIFY FOR A FIRST MORTGAGE, DO YOU HAVE ANY WAYS TO HELP? WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING AT THAT.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO SET SOMETHING UP SO THAT THEY DON'T PAY MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME.
BUT WHETHER JUST SOCIAL SECURITY, IT CAN BE TOO LOW.
EVEN THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP AT SOME POINT, UNLESS THEY HAVE SOME FUNDING THAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM A GRANT OR SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT IT.
WE CAN USUALLY FIND A WAY TO MAKE SOMETHING WORK.
SO, UM, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SELECTION PROCESS FOR THESE FAMILIES? SURE.
SO, UM, WE'RE SERVING FAMILIES WHO EARN GENERALLY SOMEWHERE 30 TO 80% OF A MI IS THE TOP 80% A MI IS THE TOP OF OUR, OUR RANGE.
UM, THEY'RE GENERALLY WORKING FAMILIES.
UM, THEY COME IN AND APPLY TO US.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR PERFECT CREDIT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING THAT THERE'S SOME EFFORT THERE TO, TO DO WHAT'S THE BEST THING FOR THEM.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA WORK THROUGH THAT DURING CLASSES AND THINGS AND HELP THEM TO IMPROVE THAT AS THEY GO.
WE'RE THEY FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FORM, WE VERIFY INCOME CHECK, UM, THEIR BACKGROUND, WE CHECK THEIR CREDIT HISTORY.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE DO THAT SITE VISIT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A NEED FOR HOUSING.
IT'S A PRETTY INTENSIVE PROCESS AND THEN WE DETERMINE WHO QUALIFIES.
AND THEN WE BRING IT TO, WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE THAT SITS DOWN AND REVIEWS ALL OF THOSE DETERMINES WHO'S IN THE
[00:30:01]
GREATEST NEED AT THAT POINT IN TIME.AND THEN IT, THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR BOARD.
UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS OF THOSE WHO HAVE GOTTEN HOMES HAVE PAID OFF THEIR MORTGAGES? I'VE ACTUALLY PAID OFF.
IT'S PROBABLY SMALL BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT 20 TO 30 YEAR MORTGAGES.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE MAKING THEIR PAYMENTS.
WE, UM, WE ONLY HAVE A FORECLOSURE RATE OF ABOUT 2% OF ALL OF THE 180 PLUS FAMILIES THAT WE'VE SERVED.
SO SO YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 97? IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SINCE 1990.
STARTED THE HOMES IN BLUFFTON.
AND, AND SO, AND THAT MEANS THAT MOST OF THOSE 30 OR MORTGAGES HAVEN'T COME.
A LOT OF THEM ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE.
UH, YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND WITH, UH, VICKY, TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
JUST, WE GET CALLS ALL THE TIME FROM PEOPLE NEEDING ASSISTANCE.
SO ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE ROOFING PROJECTS IN LOUGHTON.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT THE PROGRAM THAT WE SEND THEM THERE.
FIRST WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT YOU DO SOME REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE ON HOME.
WE'RE DOING MOSTLY EXTERIOR, MINOR REPAIRS.
SO THOSE PORCHES, WHEELCHAIR RAMPS, THINGS LIKE THAT, SIDING THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
I JUST, I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S DUPLICATION OF EFFORT THERE.
WE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE, WE DON'T DO RAMPS.
UM, WE DON'T FIX YOUR FENCE ON YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR SCREENING ON YOUR PORCH.
SO THEY'RE DOING THE MINOR TO US.
WE'RE CALLED MINOR, BUT IT'S MAJOR TO THEM.
SO FOR IN YOUR MIND, IF THERE'S A COLOR DELINEATION THERE.
UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION FOR RENO.
UM, HAVE YOU WORKED WITH THEM BEFORE? NO.
THE TOWN ACTUALLY BROUGHT THEM TO US TO SUSPECT THAT, I MEAN, I I WOULD SUSPECT THAT IT'S HARD TO GET A NUMBER OF DEVELOPERS TO DO THAT KIND OF WORK.
IS THIS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND, AND THE BIGGEST ISSUE IN BLUFFTON AS FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED IS AVAILABLE LAND? I THINK SO, YES.
FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS MS. BRENDA.
THIS IS JUST AN OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION.
I I WAS ON, UM, THE HABITAT BOARD WITH PAT WIRTH BACK IN 2007, 2008.
AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR, I MEAN, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE MERGER.
I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT, YOU WERE DUPLICATING EFFORTS, UM, AND THINKING OUT OF THE BOX BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THOSE ALTERNATIVES IN, IN 2007.
AND SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE WERE WORK WORKING ON, UH, PERSONAL LAND, PRIVATE LAND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, UM, APPLICANT WOULD HAVE.
BUT, UM, I WAS, IT WAS INTERESTING YOU SAID YOU HAD 2% FORECLOSURES.
AND I'LL JUST TELL EVERYBODY WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON A FEW FORECLOSURES DURING THAT TIME, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE MARKET WAS CRASHING, EVERYTHING WAS GOING AND HABITAT DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO NOT FORECLOSE ON THESE PROPERTIES.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE STILL DOING THE SAME THING.
IT WAS, UH, IT JUST DID MY HEART.
GOOD TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE COULD, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE TO BE TURNED OUT.
ESPECIALLY, UH, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF, OF THOSE TIMES.
UM, ONE QUESTION I HAVE IS ABOUT MOBILE HOMES.
DO YOU DO ON SOMEONE ELSE'S LAND, WILL YOU BUILD A MOBILE HOME OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE A STICK-BUILT HOME? WE HAVE FOR MOBILE HOMES, WE'VE DONE, AGAIN, MINOR REPAIRS, MOSTLY BUILDING THE STAIRS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THE IDEA OF THAT ONE BEDROOM COTTAGE THAT WE HAVE THE PLAN FOR WAS A HOPE THAT MAYBE WE COULD GET RID OF THE MOBILE HOME AND GET SOMETHING BETTER.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU NEXT WEEK I'M GOING UP TO A, AN AFFILIATE HERE IN THE STATE THAT IS DOING THOSE CONTAINER HOUSES THAT I AM HEARING ARE FABULOUS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT, BUT BRINGING IN THOSE SHIPPING CONTAINERS AND TURNING THAT INTO HOUSING, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE A PICTURES I'VE SEEN.
I'M WAY MORE IMPRESSED THAN I THOUGHT I WOULD BE, QUITE HONESTLY.
WHAT PART, UH, GEORGETOWN IS DOING IT GEORGETOWN.
SO I'LL, I'LL HAVE MORE ON THAT NEXT WEEK AFTER I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE IT.
[00:35:02]
I THINK THEY'VE DONE A COUPLE.UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE HABITAT PRODUCT AND UM, BUT I'M ALSO INTRIGUED TO SEE THAT YOU OPEN UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A, A DEVELOPER.
UM, I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT, UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT MAY.
UM, AND THAT PRODUCT LOOKS VERY, UH, ATTRACTIVE.
SO, UM, WHEN YOU GET MORE INFORMATION ON DENTAL HOMES, YOU NEED TO COME BACK AND SHARE THAT WITH US.
BECAUSE, UM, THAT'S, AND WE HAVEN'T CLOSED ON THOSE HOMES IN HARDY YET, SO ANYBODY FOR THEM EARLY NEXT WEEK, I'M HAPPY TO TO TAKE YOU OUT THERE AND SHOW.
WHAT'S THE ADDRESS OUT THERE? IT'S RIGHT ON MAIN STREET.
I THINK IT'S ONE 10 MAIN STREET.
YES, IT'S RIGHT IN YOUR DRIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE HABITAT, SOME OPTIONS.
AND AGAIN, LAND, LAND LAND, WHICH, YOU KNOW, BLUFFTON IS KIND OF LOCKED.
BUT KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN EVEN FOR THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE LAND AND WOULD WANT TO BUILD ON THEIR OWN LAND.
UM, WE DID HAVE ANOTHER VISITOR THAT I'M HAPPY TO SEE 'CAUSE I NEED TO PULL HIM TO THE SIDE.
WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK MR. WOOD, NOT TO PUT YOU ON SPOT WHAT PROBABLY PUBLIC COMMENT OR ANYTHING.
UM, JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD FOR ME.
UH, JAMES WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BEFORD JASPER, OC.
UM, I NEVER TRY TO PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY GOOD MORNING AND HI TO SUCH A DISTINGUISHED PANEL.
UH, BUT ONE QUESTION I DID HAVE FOR HABITAT.
IN YOUR PRESENTATION YOU SAID YOU DO A BACKGROUND CHECK.
UM, WHAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE BACKGROUND CHECK COVERS FOR AS IT PERTAINS TO QUALIFICATION? UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND HISTORY.
WE CHECK THE SEXUAL OFFENDER RIGHTS STRAIGHT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO WOULD, WOULD A CRIMINAL HISTORY DISQUALIFY? UM, IT WOULD DEPEND.
NOT NECESSARILY, BUT IT WOULD DEPEND.
AND THAT WAS THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, BEAUFORT, JASPER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, OBVIOUSLY WE DO A LOT OF HOME REPAIRS, UH, AS FAR AS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING SIDE.
SO ONE REASON I STOPPED IN WAS BECAUSE I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, THINGS THAT HABITAT WAS COMING UP, COMING THROUGH.
'CAUSE WE MIRROR SOME OF THOSE SAME CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT BLUFFTON IS SO NEATLY ORGANIZED AND CONSTRICTED AS FAR AS LAND AND AVAILABILITY FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT.
ONE THING THAT WE WERE IN, INTERESTED IN HOW WE CAN HELP SUSTAIN SOME OF THOSE EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOMES WITHIN THE TOWN OF, OF, OF BLUFFTON THAT MAY NEED, UH, SOME LITTLE MORE MAJOR REPAIRS THAT THEY DON'T COVER.
SO WE WANTED TO JUST KIND OF GET SOME INSIGHT AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND MAYBE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, PARTNER WITH THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE AND TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AS WELL.
DO YOU DO HOME REPAIR, LIKE, UH, LIKE OUTSIDE, LIKE RAMPS AND STUFF FOR THE HOMES ALSO? YES, WE DO.
AND, AND WE HAVE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE EXTENT OF THAT? CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE EXTENT OF THAT YOUR REPAIR? SO, UH, WE HAVE, WE PARTNER WITH THE, NOT ONLY THE STATE HOUSING, UH, TRUST, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BEFORD JASPER, UH, HOUSING TRUST AS WELL TO DO, UH, REPAIRS.
WE ALSO PARTNER WITH THE FEDERAL WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOWS US TO WEATHERIZE HOMES.
UM, AND, AND IN THIS AREA THAT'S VERY FORMIDABLE WHAT WE ARE, UH, TRYING TO, UH, HEAD, UH, SPEARHEAD AS AN INITIATIVE.
UH, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED ABOUT MOBILE HOMES, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY, MOBILE HOMES HAVE A A THERE, THERE ARE VAST NUMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ALLOW, THE STATE TRUSTS HAVE SUCH DEEP RESTRICTIONS ON THE REPAIRS TO MOBILE HOME.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO SPEARHEAD AN INITIATIVE TO ALLOW THEM TO RELAX SOME OF THAT CRITERIA ON THE AGE AND AFFORDABILITY OF THOSE MOBILE HOMES TO ALLOW THOSE REPAIRS TO, TO BE ABLE TO BE PERFORMED ON THOSE, UH, MOBILE HOMES.
BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT IN OUR LOW INCOME COMMUNITY, THAT THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE.
SO, LIKE I SAID, AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO WITH THIS COMMITTEE TO TRY TO, TO UH, MOVE THOSE THINGS FORWARD WITHIN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, WE ARE DEEPLY INTERESTED.
DO YOU WORK WITH, UM, PARTNERING COUNTIES? I KNOW IN HORRY COUNTY THEY HAVE, UH, A, A LONGER LIST OF, UH, WEATHERIZATION THAT THEY
[00:40:01]
CAN DO.HAVE YOU PARTNERED WITH THEM OR, OR VISIT THEM TO SEE OR DO THEY MARRY YOU? SO, SO WE PARTNER WITH ALL OF THE, UH, EXISTING ACCOUNTS.
SO YEAH, SO ALL THE EOCS ACROSS THE STATE, UH, WE COLLABORATE WITH.
MR. CHAIRMAN, ANYTHING, UM, YOU CAN LET THEM KNOW, UM, THAT YOU, WE HAVE WORKED AT PARTNER TOGETHER ON, ON A PROJECT HERE.
NOW WE, WE HAVE DONE SEVERAL PROJECTS, UH, AND SOME, UH, VERY NICE PROJECTS WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON ALREADY, UM, OVER ON, IN THE GO THROUGH ROAD AREA, SO, OKAY.
SO WE, WE HAVE A, A STANDING HISTORY WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
AMY AND DAVID, GO LOOK AT TWO MORE.
THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TASK OR ASSIGNMENTS FOR ME? WE SEE IF WE COULD GET FARINO TO COME IN AND DO A PRESENTATION ON DOING, ON HOW IT, HOW THAT WORKED, HOW THE PARTNERSHIP WAS WORKED.
HEATHER MADE A PIECE TO, UH, COUNCIL THAT I WANTED HER TO MAKE TO US.
OH, ONE THAT SHE MADE LAST WEEK? YES.
AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE NOTHING FURTHER, THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, I I NEED TO, I THOUGHT SHANNON WOULD BE HERE TODAY AND I NEED TO GIVE A REPORT ON SHANNON GREEN.
SHE CLOSED ON HER HOUSE IN, UM, SUN CITY, A, A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE HOME ON SEPTEMBER THE 24TH.
AND I THINK IT TOOK US ABOUT 19 MONTHS AT TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF THAT.
UH, SHE APPLIED FOR THE USDA HOUSING AND THE GOVERNMENT HAD MONEY, THEN THE MONEY WENT AWAY, THEN THEY HAD MONEY AND THE MONEY WENT AWAY.
SO THAT JUST NEVER CAME, CAME TO, TO, TO FRUITION.
BUT, UM, AND THEN THE HOME THAT SHE WAS IN, SHE WAS, HAD A, AN, UM, WHAT IS IT? SHE COULD OCCUPY THE HOME BEFORE SHE CLOSED.
AND THE, THE OWNERS GAVE HER THE PERMISSION TO DO THAT.
SO WITH THE HELP OF A REALLY GOOD REALTOR, I'LL SAY NOT, NOT PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK, BUT AFTER SIX MONTHS SHE HAD TO LEAVE THAT HOUSE BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET THE FUNDING AND THE HOUSE NEEDED SO MANY REPAIRS, BUT AS GOD WOULD HAVE IT, SHE FOUND AN, WE FOUND ANOTHER HOME RIGHT DOWN THE STREET.
UM, SHE ENDED UP WITH A REGULAR FHA MORTGAGE.
UM, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GET, SHE WAS HONORED TO GET THE $20,000, UM, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FROM THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S REALLY A FEATHER IN OUR CAT, OUR WHOLE, NOT JUST THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE, BUT THE, THE TOWN COUNCIL.
THIS, I MEAN, THAT WAS JUST OUTSTANDING.
SO THAT HELPED HER TO BECOME ELIGIBLE TO GET THE REGULAR FHA LOAN.
BUT I HAVE TO REALLY, UM, SAY THANK YOU TO CHAIRMAN HAMILTON BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ALL THE TIME, GETTING US, UM, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? NOT JUST INSPECTIONS, BUT GETTING US, UH, QUOTES FROM THE VENDORS AND EVERYTHING JUST, AND REALLY USING HIS, USING HIS COMMISSIONS
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, UM, SO SHANNON IS ONE HAPPY LADY, BUT I THINK HER COMING TO THE, THE COUNCIL, COMING TO THIS COMMITTEE REALLY, YOU KNOW, MOVED HER FORWARD BECAUSE SHE DID NOT EXPECT TO HAVE A HOME.
BUT THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY AND I REALLY THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, BECAUSE
EVERYONE THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SHE WORKED HERE.
BUT IT WAS JUST AMAZING ALL THE SUPPORT THAT, THAT SHANNON GOT.
AND SHE SOMETIMES KIND OF FELT LIKE THIS IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN, BUT WE KEPT PUSHING HER ON.
SHE HAD A, A MEETING TODAY, BUT IT WAS A SUCCESS
[00:45:01]
STORY.HARD FOUGHT
SO I SHARE OUR SUCCESS STORY IN NUMBERS.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU ADDRESSES, BUT THOSE 19 HOMES THAT WE TALKED SO FAR THIS YEAR IS A SUCCESS STORY AS WELL.
UM, THEY'RE NOT TRYING, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND FIND A MORTGAGE.
WE CAN DO ANY REPAIRS THAT THEY NEED AND THEY ARE VERY GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE BEFORE WE EVEN GET STARTED.
SO, UM, ONE GOOD THING ABOUT OUR PROGRAM.
UM, SO THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR YOU.
WELL, THANK YOU, UM, FOR THOSE WITH SEX STORIES OF THOSE 19 HOMES, NOT ONLY THIS YEAR, BUT MM-HMM,
AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE THE STAFF WORK.
WE APPRECIATE THIS COMMITTEE FOR KEEP PUSHING THE, THE ENVELOPE.
AND, UM, I DON'T THINK THIS COMMITTEE GETS THE ACCOLADES THAT THEY DESERVE BECAUSE, UM, LONDON IS ONE OF, UH, THE FIRST EXAMPLE I THINK TO TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND OTHERS ARE NOW, UH, TAKING NOTES FROM OUR PAGES LITERALLY.
AND, AND THAT'S A ALSO SUCCESS STORY.
IF, IF WE CAN SHARE OUR SUCCESS WITH OTHERS AND AND BECOME, UM, A BEACON FOR THEM TO FOLLOW, THAT'S, THAT GIVES, THAT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
ALRIGHT, TOM, ANYTHING BEFORE WE CLOSE? YES.
UM, I JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT, UM, ON THE, UH, NUMBER 12TH HOUSING COALITION, HOUSING, UH, COALITION, WORKFORCE HOUSING COALITION IS ON NOVEMBER 12TH.
AND READING YOUR MIND AT THE, UH, UM, CULINARY INSTITUTE AT THE SOUTH.
AND WE ASK EVERYBODY TO SIGN UP FOR THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU GOT YOUR, UH, INVITATION FOR THAT.
IF NOT, IF YOU WANNA REACH OUT TO ME, I'M AWARDED.
YEAH, IF YOU COULD FORWARD THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
NOW THE OTHER, HEATHER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
AND MEETING WAS VERY GOOD MEETING, SO WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.
THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV.
AT LAST, THE MEMORABLE SEVENTH DAWNED UPON US, BRIGHT AND SERENE, NOT A RIPPLE UPON THE BROAD EXPANSE OF WATER TO DISTURB THE ACCURACY OF FIRE.
FROM THE BROAD DECKS OF THAT MAGNIFICENT ARMADA, TWO O'CLOCK HAD NOW ARRIVED WHEN I NOTICED OUR MEN COMING OUT OF THE FORT, WHICH THEY HAD BRAVELY DEFENDED FOR FOUR AND A HALF HOURS AGAINST FEARFUL ODDS.
THE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL, IT IS TRUE, HAS BEEN LOST.
ON NOVEMBER 7TH, 1861, CONFEDERATE FORCES WERE DEFEATED AT THE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL, ONE OF THE FIRST NAVAL BATTLES OF THE CIVIL WAR.
HILTON HEAD AND LATER BEAUFORT AND PORT ROYAL FELL TO UNION TROOPS.
PLANTERS ABANDONED THE SEA ISLANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE ESCAPED FROM BONDAGE.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND BECAME THE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE US ARMY'S DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH.
BY FEBRUARY, 1862, THERE WERE OVER 600 FORMER SLAVES SEEKING REFUGE IN UNION ARMY CAMPS ON THE ISLAND.
MAJOR GENERAL ORMSBY MITCHELL PROPOSED TO CREATE A TOWN FOR THE ESCAPED SLAVES ON CONFEDERATE GENERAL THOMAS DRAYTON'S FISH HALL PLANTATION.
THE TOWN WAS CALLED MITCHELLVILLE.
WE'RE STANDING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN THE ENCAMPMENT OF MITCHELLVILLE.
IT WAS A FREEDMAN'S VILLAGE BUILT IN NOVEMBER
[00:50:01]
OF 1862.THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE DESCENDANTS OF SLAVES WHO'D BEEN ENSLAVED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR OVER 400 YEARS.
NEVER KNEW WHAT IT WAS TO BE FREE, BUT WHEN GENERAL SBY MITCHELL GAVE THE DIRECTION THAT THIS TOWN SHOULD BE BUILT, THAT IT WOULD BE A GREAT EXPERIMENT AND FREEDOM FOR PEOPLE.
MITCHELLVILLE WAS, UH, A VERY LARGE PLANNED, BUILT COMMUNITY.
IT WAS AT LEAST TWO MILES LONG BY ABOUT A MILE WIDE, SEVERAL HUNDRED HOUSES.
UH, JUST THIS PART OF THE SITE WE'RE WORKING ON NOW HAD AT LEAST 36 OR 38 HOUSES ON IT.
THE NEW RESIDENTS OF MITCHELLVILLE SET TO WORK BUILDING THEIR OWN HOMES.
THEY BUILT A CHURCH, ELECTED TOWN OFFICIALS DEVELOPED LAWS, AND REQUIRED EVERY CHILD TO ATTEND SCHOOL.
MITCHELLVILLE WAS THE FIRST SELF-GOVERNED, FREED MEN'S COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THEY BUILT A TOWN WHICH I UNDERSTAND HAD BROUGHT BOULEVARDS HOUSES WERE ON QUARTER ACRE LOTS.
THEY THEMSELVES BUILT THE HOUSES THAT THEY LIVED IN FROM THE MATERIALS THAT WERE GIVEN TO THEM BY THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
AND TO THINK THAT THEY WERE THE ONES WHO CREATED THE FIRST COMPULSORY EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE SOUTH.
THE PEOPLE OF MITCHELLVILLE WORKED FOR THE UNION ARMY DURING THE WAR.
AND THE SUBSEQUENT OCCUPATION.
WHEN THE ARMY LEFT HILTON HEAD IN 1868, MOST JOBS WENT WITH IT.
MITCHELLVILLE SOON DECLINED FROM NEARLY 3000 RESIDENTS TO JUST A FEW FAMILIES.
BY 1880, IT CEASED TO BE A TOWN.
BY THE MID 1950S, ONLY HILTON HEAD'S, OLDER RESIDENTS REMEMBERED MITCHELLVILLE AND ITS IMPORTANT HISTORY.
THE STORY OF MITCHELLVILLE NEVER REALLY WENT AWAY.
HOWEVER, UH, OVER THE YEARS AS OLDER PERSONS DIED WHO WERE MORE FAMILIAR WITH MORE HISTORICAL DETAILS, IT WAS PASSED ON TO OTHERS.
HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER REALLY PUSHED VERY, VERY HARD.
THERE'S STILL A NEED TO REACQUAINT THE CURRENT NEW GENERATION.
ALL OF THE NEW RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD NEED TO BE TOTALLY AWARE OF THE RICH, TRUE HISTORY OF HILTON HEAD.
IN THE 1980S, ARCHEOLOGISTS FOUND REMNANTS OF MITCHELLVILLE AND RECORDED IT AS AN ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE.
THE SITE WAS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 1988.
IN 2012, EXTENSION OF THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT RUNWAY REQUIRED ARCHEOLOGISTS TO RETURN TO MITCHELLVILLE AND STUDY AREAS THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY CONSTRUCTION.
THERE'S A LOT THAT WE KNOW ABOUT MITCHELLVILLE, BUT THERE'S VERY MUCH THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
WE HAVE GOOD MAPS OF MITCHELLVILLE AS IT WAS LAID OUT, AS THE STREETS WERE LAID OUT IN THE GRID AND THE HOUSES WERE BUILT ON IT.
THERE WERE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHERE EACH BUILDING WAS.
WE KNOW WHERE SOME OF THE STOCKYARDS AND THE, UH, CATTLE PENS AND, AND DIFFERENT FACILITIES WERE.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF INDIVIDUAL HOUSES WERE ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTIVE.
WAS THIS A CONCEPT MAP THAT THIS WAS THE PLAN THAT THEY INTENDED TO BUILD? OR IS IT, UH, ACTUALLY WHAT WAS BUILT THAT WAS SIMPLY THE MAP, A DOCUMENT OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY THERE IN 1864.
THAT'S ONE OF THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ANSWER OUT HERE ON OUR ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE.
ALTHOUGH PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, AND HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS GIVE US GLIMPSES OF MITCHELLVILLE, THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE TOWN WAS BUILT AND WHAT DAY-TO-DAY LIFE AT MITCHELLVILLE WAS LIKE THAT.
BUT WE'RE HERE AT, UH, PART OF THE HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE.
UM, AND WHAT YOU SEE AROUND YOU IS A SERIES OF TWO METER BY TWO METER EXCAVATION UNITS PUT TOGETHER AND WHAT WE CALL A BLOCK.
WE'RE TRYING TO UNCOVER AS MUCH OF THIS HOUSE THAT WE THINK IS HERE IS POSSIBLE, NOT BY MUCH.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS WHERE THESE HOUSES ARE OR WHERE THE ARTIFACTS ARE.
IN SOME SITES, THERE'S STUFF SCATTERED ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN MITCHELLVILLE.
MITCHELLVILLE IS REALLY MAYBE 20 YEARS AT THE MOST OF OCCUPATION AND THEN IT'S GONE.
YOU KNOW, THAT SOME PEOPLE LIVE ON PAST 1880S AND WHERE DID THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE? FEATURES ARE SOIL STAINS, ARCHITECTURAL REMNANTS, STORAGE PITS, AND GARBAGE DUMPS.
ARCHEOLOGISTS DISCOVERED 85 FEATURES AT MITCHELLVILLE BACK.
YOU SEE THE NICE SHARP EDGES ON THIS.
THIS IS A HOLE THAT'S BEEN DUG AND THEN FILLED FULL OF GARBAGE.
SOME OTHER THING WE'VE SCRAPED OFF THAT PLAZA ON THAT OVERBURDENED.
[00:55:01]
TAMIL HAS NEVER BEEN DISTURBED BY HUMANS BEFORE THIS SOIL HAS, THAT'S A FILLED IN HOLE.SO YOU ARCHEOLOGISTS WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHOICES PEOPLE MADE, THE KINDS OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS THEY HAD, THE KINDS OF FOODS THEY ATE, AND HOW THEY ORGANIZED THEIR HOMES AND LIVES.
YOU HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE MOVING FROM ENSLAVEMENT WITH, HAD NOTHING TO A FREE MARKET ECONOMY.
THEY HAD TO SPEND THEIR MONEY ON FOOD AND CLOTHING AND THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO LIVE, BUT THEY'RE HAVING MONEY TO SPEND.
THEY HAD TO DISPOSABLE INCOME FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO ONE OF THE INTERESTING QUESTIONS THAT WE AS ARCHEOLOGISTS WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT WERE THEY BUYING? WHAT DID THEY CHOOSE TO BUY WITH, WITH THEIR MONEY? UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.
ARTIFACTS ARE OBJECTS MADE OR USED BY PEOPLE.
ARCHEOLOGISTS USED TO UNDERSTAND ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
OVER 20,000 ARTIFACTS WERE FOUND AT MITCHELLVILLE.
THIS IS, OH, I FOUND THIS IN THE BACK THERE.
ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT IS? THAT'S A INKWELL.
SO REMEMBER THE STORY OF THE CHILDREN WERE REQUIRED TO GO TO SCHOOL.
I MEAN, THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS TO PEOPLE THAT BY LAW WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO READ AND WRITE.
AND, UH, NOW THEY GET TO, NOW THEY GET TO READ AND WRITE.
AND SO THESE ARE THE KIND OF ARTIFACTS THAT TELL A TREMENDOUS STORY IN, IN A, IN AN EXHIBIT.
UH, AND WE CAN TELL THAT KIND OF THING.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL THING, IT IT, IT REALLY ALLOWS US TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE OF THE PAST AND THE FIELD INVESTIGATIONS ADJUST THE FIRST STEP IN THE WORK BEING DONE TO STUDY THIS PORTION OF MITCHELLVILLE.
ALL OF THE DATA AND ARTIFACTS GATHERED DURING THIS WORK WILL BE ANALYZED AND INTERPRETED.
THE RESULTS WILL BE PRESENTED IN A WRITTEN REPORT THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH OTHER RESEARCHERS AND THE PUBLIC.
I MUST SAY THAT WHEN I VISITED THE ARCHEOLOGY SITE, I WAS AWED.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO SEE THE EXPANSE OF WORK THAT WAS GOING ON.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THAT'S BEING UNCOVERED, I FELT AS IF I WAS ON HALLOWED GROUND.
I'M A PERSON THAT I HAVE TO SEE AND TOUCH.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING, WHEN I HAVE SOMETHING TANGIBLE IN MY HANDS AND I CAN JUST FEEL IT.
AND I WAS ABLE TO SHARE THAT YESTERDAY WITH HAVING A PIECE IN MY HAND.
IN THE FUTURE, THE MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT PLANS TO DEVELOP AN EXTENSIVE LIVING HISTORY PARK TO INTERPRET DAILY LIFE AT HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE.
SO WHAT I SEE MITCHELLVILLE BEING IS A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS IN ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN BEAUT COUNTY CAN COME ON FIELD TRIPS AND EXPERIENCE WHAT IT WAS LIKE THEN.
WE ARE VERY PLEASED THAT MITCHELLVILLE AS SEEN TODAY IS COMING ALIVE AGAIN IN HISTORY, IN REALITY, UH, THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR MITCHELLVILLE STORY TO BE IN THE TEXTBOOKS AND OF COURSE TO BECOME A MAJOR PART OF THE AMERICAN HISTORY, A PART OF THE HISTORY THAT ALL AMERICANS CAN ENJOY AND, AND CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE.
UH, BECAUSE WE SEE IT AS THE DAWN OF FREEDOM HERE ON HILTON HEAD.