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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY FOR NORTH REGIONAL PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION ORDER.
[1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
FORGI TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY.WELCOME TO, UH, THE TEMPORARY HOME FOR NORTH REGIONAL.
[2. FOIA – PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.]
FOIA, UH, NOTIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN SENT OUT.[3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – MARCH 28, 2025]
FOR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE MARCH 28TH MEETING.UM, ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
[5. BEAUFORT-JASPER HOUSING TRUST UPDATE – CLAUDE HICKS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BEAUFORT-JASPER HOUSING TRUST]
BUSINESS.UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR JASPER HOUSING TRUST AND, UH, CLAUDE HICKS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR BUFORT JAPER HOUSING TRUST.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, YOU HAVE PRESENTATIONS ABOUT OUR 10TH PRESENTATION THIS WEEK, SO FRIDAY.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH YOU UP ON WHERE WE ARE AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE THINK, UH, WE'RE GOING IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BUFORD, JASPER HOUSING TRUST.
UH, I THINK MOST PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE ARE.
WE ARE A REGIONAL CONSORTIUM, UH, OF SIX MUNICIPALITIES, TWO COUNTIES, AND SO LOCO, WHICH IS AN ADVISORY, UH, COMMITTEE THAT HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE FORMATION OF JAPER HOUSING TRUST AND CONTINUES TO GIVE US ADVICE AS WE
IT IS TO CREATE RESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE STARTED OUT AS A REGIONAL TRUST AND MADE A, A DECISION THAT FROM PHYSICAL MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, IT MADE SENSE FOR US TO COME WITH 5 0 1 C3, UH, AND OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES, SOKO, AS WELL AS, UH, SEVEN AT LARGE MEMBERS.
UH, WE CHOSE THOSE AT LARGE MEMBERS AS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE
UH, I AM, UM, VERY HONORED TO BE A PART OF, UH, THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN.
BANK OF ATLANTA IS THE ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THOSE SEVEN STATES WHEN YOU MET THIS PAST MONDAY, HAD THE SAME EXACT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HERE, UH, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT.
UH, WHY IS IT FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE FOUNDATION FOR THRIVING, UH, COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AVAILABILITY, THE ABILITY TO SERVE OUR SERVICE WORKERS, OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE ON LOWER INCOME PART OF THE SCALE IS VITAL TO OUR CONTINUATION.
UH, AND THE AREA AND A REGION THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO.
UH, YOU ALL ARE, YOU'VE HEARD A HUNDRED TIMES ALREADY.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE CRISIS WE'RE SEEING IN THE HOSPITAL CRISIS.
WE'RE SEEING IN THE SERVICE AREAS, LACK OF WORKERS, BUSINESSES CLOSING OR DRAMATICALLY CUTTING BACK HOURS JUST BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GET PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THEIR BUSINESSES, QUALITY OF LIFE, HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY.
THERE HAVE BEEN PROBABLY A HUNDRED STUDIES DONE ACROSS THE NATION THAT LINK HOUSING AFFORDABILITY DIRECTLY TO HELP EDUCATION, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
FOR US, IT'S, IT'S AN EASY WAY TO LOOK AT IT, AND IT'S AN EASY CONNECTION TO MAKE.
IF YOU ARE PAYING MORE THAN 30% OF YOUR INCOME
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MEANS YOU'RE PAYING, YOU HAVE LESS DISCRETIONARY INCOME TO PAY.THINGS LIKE HEALTHCARE, EDUCATIONAL, TRANSPORTATION, REGIONAL COLLABORATION.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT, UM, THIS REGION AND THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE TRUST, UH, SHOULD BE EXTRAORDINARILY HAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE FEW REGIONAL COLLABORATIVE, UM, BEEN DONE.
UM, IT IS A RARE THING TO SEE THIS MANY DISPARATE PARTNERS ALL AGREE.
LET'S ALL WORK TOGETHER, UH, IN A REGIONAL WAY TO GET IT DONE.
HOUSING AVAILABILITY IS IN CRISIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UH, WE NEED, IT IS NOW RISEN TO THE DIRE NATIONAL CRISIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, WE'VE GONE FROM A BAD NATIONAL CRISIS TO A DIRE NATIONAL CRISIS, BUT IT IS HERE AND IT IS EVIDENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THERE IS A NEED NOW FOR BETWEEN 5.5 TO 6.8 MILLION MORE HOMES.
SO IN THE NEXT DECADE, LOST $2.4 TRILLION IN LOST GDP, THERE'S ONLY 34 AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR EVERY A HUNDRED EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO MOST MUNICIPALITIES? NOT NECESSARILY TO THIS ONE, BECAUSE YOU DON'T STRUGGLE VERY MUCH WITH HOMELESS ISSUE.
HERE YOU HAVE IT, BUT IT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS SAY IN PHILADELPHIA.
UH, BUT THIS TREND CONTINUES AND IT MEANS HOMELESSNESS IS GOING TO RISE JUST 'CAUSE OF LACK OF ANYWHERE TO PUT LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
UH, FOR EVERY A HUNDRED AFFORDABLE UNITS BUILT, UH, A HUNDRED PLUS PERMANENT JOBS ARE CREATED.
THAT IS A, THAT IS A PROVEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UH, IT HAS ALSO PROVEN THAT, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN BE A STABILIZER IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT CAN BE A CONTRIBUTOR, UH, TO THAT COMMUNITY.
WHAT'S THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE HOUSING SHORTAGE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA? IT'S BEEN DRAMATIC.
5.1 BILLION IN LOST ECONOMIC OUTPUT, 2.6 BILLION LESS IN PERSONAL INCOME.
AND 43,000 JOBS ARE ESTIMATED NOT TO HAVE BEEN GENERATED BECAUSE OF LACK OF HOUSING, LACK OF, UH, IN HOMES, IN COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY WENT TO WORK.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, LAST WEEK, UM, THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE IN SOUTH CAROLINA MADE A DECISION, UH, THAT IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE TAX SALES TAX FROM 6.2 TO SIX, THEY ELIMINATED ALL YEAR MARKS.
UH, SENATOR DAVIS HAD ROUGHLY $7 MILLION IN
UH, AND IT PUTS ALL OF THE DEALS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IN A POSITION OF HAVING TO TRY AND FIND MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO WHERE ARE THEY GONNA LOOK? WE'RE GONNA LOOK FOR THE COUNTIES, LOOK TO REGIONAL PLACES THAT THEY CAN GET FUNDS, AND ALL OF THOSE PLACES ARE SAFE.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF CONVERSATION FOR MOST OF THE DEVELOPERS HERE AND THOSE WHO WANT TO BUILD HERE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
NEXT HOUSING PERMITS MIGHT BE SURPRISED THAT THEY HAVE NOT BOUNDED BACK TO THE 1993 TO 2002 LEVEL OF CONSTRUCTION BEFORE THE BANK CRASHED.
IT IS SLOWLY COMING BACK, BUT IT IS NOT EXCEEDED IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON AND THINK, OH, WE HAVE TO BE, THEY HAVE TO BE BACK TO THAT LEVEL.
WE ARE NOT, UH, WE ARE RISING, BUT IT'S GONNA BE BUMPY ROAD WITH RESPECT TO WHERE THE ECONOMY'S GOING.
COST BURDEN MEANS SPENDING MORE 30% OF INCOME ON HOUSING COSTS.
IF YOU LOOK, UH, AT THE LOCAL MSA LOCAL MSA IS
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT RENTER BURDEN, OVER 30% IN OUR MSA 57%, UH, OF RENTERS PAY MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME FOR RENT.
THAT IS AN UNHEALTHY STATISTIC.
IT'S ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED.
UH, IT CAN ONLY BE IMPROVED WITH INCREASING HOUSING STOCK.
THAT'S SUPPORT PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS SLIDE, UH, SEEN IN THIS AREA IN THE LAST YEAR.
UH, THE FEDERAL RESERVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS LOOKS AT
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IF A FAMILY WAS A MEDIAN INCOME AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A MEDIAN PRICED HOME WITHOUT SPENDING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME TO DO SO.HOW MANY HOUSES DOES THAT REPRESENT? THE FED HAS LOOKED EVERY YEAR, AND WE HAVE FAILED THAT TEST FOR THE LAST 2020 YEARS.
THERE'S BEEN NO HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED THAT FITS IN THAT MODEL.
UH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN IT IS SHOWN, UH, THAT WAS FIRST SHOWN TO A GROUP, UM, AT A FORUM THAT INCLUDED I THINK FOUR MAYORS AND A BUNCH OF OTHERS.
SOME OF YOU WERE SITTING IN THAT ROOM.
UH, I THINK EVERYONE WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THIS STATISTIC.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE COST OF HOUSE OF HOUSING AND HOW RAPIDLY IT HAS RISEN, IT'S NOT SURPRISING.
BUT 21 YEARS IS LONG TIME NOT TO HAVE AFFORDABILITY EXPERTS.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE MEDIAN HOME PRICES, ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT US CENSUS BUREAU, UM, EXCUSE GO SLIDE.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN PRODUCED BY FIVE TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO MEDIAN, UH, MEDIAN INCOME IN BUFORT ROSE IN EVERY CATEGORY.
IF YOU LOOK AT A HUNDRED PERCENT MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME IN BUFORT, THAT'S $112,500 AND 30% OF THEIR INCOME, THAT'S $2,800 A MONTH IN RENT OR MORTGAGE.
AND AN AVERAGE HOME PRICE HERE OF $400,000, $2,800 DOES NOT COVER THE COST OF MORTGAGE, COST OF TAXES AND INSURANCE.
IF YOU LOOK AT JASPER COUNTY, IT IS WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT.
UM, SO EVEN THOUGH MEDIAN INCOME HAS RISEN, IT'S NOT MATCHING THE RISE IN COST OF HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT MIDDLE BAR WHERE IT SAYS 80 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT, THESE ARE FAMILIES WHO MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY TO QUALIFY FOR ANY KIND OF TAX CREDIT, HOUSING OR ANY KIND OF HOUSING WITH ANY KIND OF SUBSIDY ON IT.
BUT THEY DON'T MAKE ENOUGH TO QUALIFY FOR TRADITIONAL MORTGAGES AND TRADITIONAL MORTGAGE LENDING.
AND IN MOST CASES, 20 TO 30% DOWN.
THAT'S BEING REQUIRED BY MOST FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TODAY.
EVEN WHEN WE LOOK AT, WE, THE TRUST HAS A FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS PROGRAM.
UH, FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK HAS THE SAME, A LOT OF BANKS HERE HAVE THE SAME, UH, AND EVEN IF YOU COMBINE THOSE, WE STILL DON'T GET TO THE 20% REQUIREMENT.
MOST BANKS FOR DOWN PAYMENT, JUST BECAUSE THE COST OF THE HOUSE IS TOO HIGH.
WE WE'RE SITTING IN A MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, NATIONAL BUILDER, THEY CAME IN TOUTING THEY WERE AFFORDABLE.
THEIR PRICE POINT STARTS OR TOWN AT FOUR 25,000 STARTS.
IF YOU LOOK AT A YOUNG FAMILY AND YOU SAY 10% POUND, $42,000 IS BEYOND MOST OF THEIR REACH.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEPEND ON EITHER FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS OR SOME TYPE OF SUBSIDY.
EVEN PARENTS DON'T HAVE $42,000 TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN TO HOUSE.
BUT WHAT CAN WE DO AND WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A TRUST IN WORKING WITH THE STATE? UH, THE STATE HAS NOT LOOKED VERY KINDLY AT FEE FOR CHESTER COUNTIES IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.
UH, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY PUT PROVISIONS IN THEIR QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN THAT HAVE WORKED AGAINST US AND WAS FAMOUS, OF WHICH I GOT HERE A YEAR AGO.
WAS THE REQUIREMENT THAT IF YOU WANTED TO PUT SOMETHING IN BEFORD JASPER COUNTY AND YOU TO USE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS, YOU HAD TO PROVE THAT THERE WERE A THOUSAND JOBS WITHIN ONE LEVEL OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
THERE WAS NOWHERE IN
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THAT LITERALLY EXEMPTED US BECAUSE IT DENIED DEVELOPERS THOSE 10 POINTS THEY NEEDED BE COMPETITIVE.THEY HAVE REWRITTEN THAT, UH, AND MADE IT KIND OF AN OPTIONAL POINT PERSPECTIVE.
STILL, WE ARE NOT GETTING WHAT WE NEED TO GET.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, UH, WHEN I GOT HERE A YEAR AGO WAS WE QUALIFIED FOR THE STATE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
JENNIFER AND I PAINFULLY SAT IN A CHARLESTON, UH, ROOM, A FULL OF PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW HOW YOU DECLARED LEAD BASED PAINT HAD BECOME ENVIRONMENTALLY QUALIFIED.
ESSENTIALLY, IT SOMETHING BEEN BUILT UP PAST 1978 OR BEFORE 1978, YOU GOTTA CHECK
WE HAD TO DO THAT STATE REQUIRED US TO DO THAT.
I THINK IT WAS $300 A PIECE, UH, BECAUSE DOWN TO CHARLESTON DO THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE STATE REQUIRES.
WE ARE NOW THE ONLY ENTITY IN BUFORD, CHESTER COUNTY THAT IS QUALIFIED TO LOOK AT HOMES OR REPAIR THAT ARE OVER THAN 1978.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS THE MONEY THAT THE STATE GETS TO FUND THIS OWN REPAIR PROGRAM COMES FROM THIS REAL ESTATE TAX CHARGE AT ON THE SALE.
WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS, IF YOU JASPER COUNTY, AND THERE'S BETWEEN 2020 $5 MILLION IN THIS, IF YOU HEARD JASPER COUNTY REPRESENT 20% OF REAL ESTATE SALES AND TAXES GOING INTO THAT FUND, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US THE 20% AND WE WILL PUT IT THROUGHOUT YOU FOR JE COUNTY TO HOME THEIR NEEDS THROUGHOUT
UH, THEY'RE NOT LISTENING SO FAR, BUT WE HOPE SENATOR DAVIS WOULD GO WITH US AND MAKE THAT PLEA.
BETTER TO HAVE THE MONEY HERE LOCALLY.
WE CAN SEE HOW TO ADMINISTER IT QUICKLY THAN IT IS TO BE UNDER A STATE STRUCTURE IN COLUMBIA THAT DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
EVERY DEAL THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED, BE IT MARKET RATE OR BE IT AFFORDABLE OR BE WORKFORCE, HAS CONSTRUCTION GAPS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ECONOMY AND WORLD ECONOMY THAT WE'RE LIVING IN.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY FOR THE STATE TO HELP US CLOSE THOSE GAPS.
THEY HAVE THE MONEY, THEY HAVE THE FUNDS.
THEY ARE JUST RELUCTANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT IN A GAP FINANCING WAY.
UH, LOW, LOW MORTGAGE OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS AND ENTITIES THAT WE'VE GIVEN MONEY TO, SUCH AS COOPER MEMORIAL, HAVE SET UP A FUND TO FUND THEIR STAFF.
THE PROBLEM IS, INTEREST RATES ARE AT A POINT WHERE EVEN WITH THE MONEY, THEY STILL CAN'T QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE BECAUSE THE INTEREST RATES CONTINUING TO RISE OR FAILED TO DROP, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR, WE'RE ASKING THE STATE TO COME UP WITH EVEN BETTER PROGRAMS TO TRY AND HELP THESE YOUNG FAMILIES GET INTO LOSS, BUY THOSE FIRST TIME HOMES, BECOME PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE ARE ENCOURAGING THE REVISION OF THE QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN.
I GAVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THEY DID BEFORE.
WE'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL REVISION THAT PUTS THE FOCUS ON THE LOCAL VOTE.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED? LOCAL COLUMBIA DOESN'T UNDERSTAND.
COLUMBIA DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN.
SO GIVE US SOME ABILITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED LOCALLY.
WE NEED TO CREATE INCENTIVES FOR FRONT SECTOR DEVELOPMENT.
THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM IS THE PROGRAM THAT IS BUILDING THE TWO DEVELOPMENTS THAT YOU SEE ON VALUE.
UM, BOTH OF WHICH WILL BE DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND I WOULD SUSPECT BOTH PROBABLY HAVE MORE APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW.
THE ABILITY TO CREATE INCENTIVES TO BRING THAT PRIVATE MONEY INTO THE AREA PEOPLE ARE SETTING UP LIKE JP MORGAN CHASE.
THEY'RE SETTING UP WORKFORCE HOUSING PLATFORMS. THEY WANT TO BRING THAT HERE.
THEY WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS HERE.
EVERYBODY'S DOING IT FOR CRA CREDIT AND FOR INCOME.
BUT THEIR WILLINGNESS TO COME HERE HAS BEEN RAMPED UP OVER THE LAST YEAR AS THIS AREA HAS EXPLODED WITH RESPECT TO GROWTH.
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IT'S GOT THE NATIONAL EYE ON IT ACTUALLY.WHAT CAN WE DO LOCALLY? WE'RE PARTNERING WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO DRIVE POLICY CHANGE.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER TO GET DEALS DONE? WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER TO REDUCE RED TAPE? WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER TO LOOK AT REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS THAT STAND IN THE WAY OF DEVELOPMENT? WE NEED TO EXPAND INFRASTRUCTURE ACCESS AND REDUCE COSTS.
THE NUMBER ONE FEAR OF DEVELOPERS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM THAT WALK IN OUR OFFICES ON A DAILY BASIS OR A WEEKLY BASIS, IS WHAT IS THE FEE GONNA BE FOR WATER? AND HOW DO I MAKE SURE THAT THE CAPACITY IS GOING TO BE THERE AND WHAT ARE THOSE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND WHY IS IT SO HIGH? UH, SO WE WANNA HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT, IF ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO EASE THE BURDEN FOR DEVELOPERS TO COME IN AND GET PRODUCT ON THE GROUND, GET HOUSES OUT OF THE GROUND, GET FAMILIES OUT.
WE NEED TO OVERCOME RESISTANCE IN PUBLIC BUILD, PUBLIC SUPPORT.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 30 YEARS.
I HAVE NEVER GONE INTO A MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC WHERE ANYONE WANTED TO SEE ADDITIONAL MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S WORKFORCE OR AFFORDABLE.
THE OLD MD KIND OF THOUGHT PROCESS AROUND WORKFORCE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING STILL REMAINS.
UH, I'VE HAD PEOPLE STAND UP IN MEETINGS WHERE I'VE SPOKEN AND JUST SAY, WE DON'T WANT THOSE PEOPLE HERE.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND OVERCOME.
BY AND LARGE, BEFORD JASPER COUNTY ARE PROBABLY LONG TO MORE PROGRESSIVE AND WELCOMING WITH RESPECT TO FIGURING THIS OUT FOR A REAL ECONOMIC NEED THAT SERVICE WORKERS CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE.
UH, SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
BUT THIS IS A LIFELONG, THIS WILL BE HERE FOR YEARS.
IT'S JUST INGRAINED AND BUILT INTO OUR SYSTEM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUALLY FIGHT.
AND THE WAY THAT WE FIGHT IT IS BY SAYING, LOOK AT WHO LIVES THERE.
LOOK AT WHO IT IS THAT ACTUALLY LIVING THERE.
THEY ARE YOUR SERVICE WORKERS IN THE HOSPITALS.
THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING SCHOOL BUSES.
YOU ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HELPING YOU IN THE HOSPITAL.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WORKING, PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO AMONGST ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD DO BASED ON THE SUCCESSES, SOME OF THE FORUMS THAT WE'VE BEEN TO OVER THE LAST YEAR, IS TO PUT TOGETHER A FORUM WHICH BRINGS MUNICIPALITIES, DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS, FINANCIAL PEOPLE INTO THE TABLE TO ASK ONE QUESTION, WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN BUILD MORE WORKFORCE HOUSING, HIRE QUALITY, MAKE SURE THAT IT FITS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY SEES AS OBSTACLES? AND HOW CAN WE AS A TRUST, PLAY A ROLE IN TRYING TO MAKE THIS OBSTACLE REMOVED? AND TRYING TO GET A DISCUSSION, THAT NARRATIVE ON THE TABLE ABOUT HOW WE CAN REALLY MAKE A CHANGE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO SPONSOR THIS.
THE SAME, UH, PERSON WHO GAVE THE FAMOUS, UM, 21 SPEECH.
UH, WE'LL BE SPEAKING, UH, AT OUR FLOOR IN SEPTEMBER.
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALL ATTEND.
UH, AND INFORMATION ON THAT WILL BE COMING AFTER.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I YOU HAVE RESISTANCE FROM FOLKS.
I MEAN, PEOPLE COMING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I, I LIKE THE APPROACH THAT WAS DONE AT HARD WHERE HOME OWNERSHIP BECAME CHEAP.
PROBABLY WORK, HOW CAME TO WORK TOWARD THAT RENTAL, BUT HOME OWNERSHIP, BECAUSE IF I OWN THAT HOME, I'M GOING TO DO ALL I CAN TO KEEP THAT NEIGHBORHOOD RESERVE SAFE, ESPECIALLY FOR MY KIDS.
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WELL, I'LL SAY ONE THING.UM, WORKFORCE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE ONLY HOUSING IN THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU CAN PROTEST AGAINST IT BASED ON WHO'S GOING TO LIVE THERE AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS.
YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU CANNOT DETERMINE WHO'S GONNA BUY THE HOUSE NEXT TO YOU.
YOU CANNOT DETERMINE IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOOD OR BAD OR NICER, NOT SO NICE AGAINST LAW.
AND YET MANY COMMUNITIES WILL FOCUS ON WORKFORCE, WHETHER IT'S HOME OWNERSHIP OR RENTAL, UH, AS SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T WANT IN THEIR COMMUNITY, BASED PRIMARILY ON MYTHS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED ABOUT WHO'S GONNA LIVE THERE.
THE PARTY PROJECT IS ONE THAT CAN BE REPLICATED, BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO REPLICATE IT HAVE TO BE THERE.
THE PARTY BILL GAVE THE LAND, MARINO CONSTRUCTION CAME IN AND GAVE A FIXED PRICE FOR THE BUILDING.
AND HABITAT CAME IN AND GAVE THE FINANCING, INCLUDING FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS FUNDING FROM THE TRUST WE GAVE, I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE OVER $9,000 PER FAMILY.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM, VERY NICE TOWN HOME UNITS NICER THAN A LOT OF THE TOWN HOMES THAT I BEEN THROUGH MY LIFE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
UM, SO THEY DID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.
VILLE ALSO GAVE THEM SOME CONCESSIONS, GAVE BILL SOME CONCESSIONS, UH, THAT THEY TOOK AND APPLIED TO THEIR MARKET RATE DEAL THAT THEY'RE BUILDING DOWN THE STREET.
SO YOU HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF AGREEMENTS THAT HAD TO BE MADE, BUT YOU HAD TO HAVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES STORES ALL ALIGNED IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT WAY TO GET THIS DONE.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE IT IS AND FREIGHT LOCATION, UH, IT IS TELLING THAT NINE OF THE 10 FAMILIES THAT QUALIFIED AND MOVED INTO THOSE 10 UNITS ARE HISPANIC AND COME, CAME HERE TO BE SERVICE WORKERS, CAME TO THE COMMUNITY, CAME HERE FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND THEY ENDED UP HAVING THE ABILITY BUY THEIR OWN.
CAN THAT BE REPLICATED? YEAH, BUT IS EVERY MUNICIPALITY WILLING TO GIVE LAND? IS IT WILLING TO MAKE CONCESSIONS? AND THE BIG QUESTION IS FOR RENO, AND I KNOW THIS SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT THEY BID A FLAT FEE OF TWO, UH, 270,000 A UNIT.
AND THE DEAL WAS WHEN WE GET OUR FINAL CO, YOU PAY US MONEY AND WE'RE GONE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY MADE ANY MONEY DOING IT OR NOT.
VERY FEW COMPANIES DO THINGS ENOUGH TO NOT EARN MONEY.
UH, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE REPLICATED IF IT CAN'T BE.
AND I THINK, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN THE COUNTY IS COUNTIES LOOKING AT THEY OWN 120 PROPERTIES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE.
AND A LOT OF 'EM ARE SLIVERS OF LAND OR UN BUILDABLE.
UM, BUT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO SEE IF THERE IS LAND THAT THEY COULD DONATE, TRY AND BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING AND TRY AND BUILD HABITAT.
UM, HABITAT'S DOING A GREAT JOB OF LOOKING AT, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY REALLY DID SOMETHING THIS BIG ALL AT ONE TIME.
UH, AND I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS GONNA WORK.
IT WORKED FANTASTIC
THE CITY, WE HAD A COUPLE OF POCKETS OF LAND THAT WE HADN'T BEEN USED FOR.
WE GAVE SOME TO DIFFERENT HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEIR LHR TA, WHATEVER THEY CALL IT.
AND, AND ON THE CORNER OF NORTH AND
AND THE TWO BUILDINGS THAT PUT THERE, AND I I, I DON'T LIKE THEM BEING SO CLOSE TO THE STREET, THAT'S OUR FAULT.
I, I DO LIKE THE WAY THEY LOOK.
AND YOU CAN'T TELL THERE FOUR UNITS IN EACH ONE OF THOSE LITTLE BUILDINGS.
LOOKS LIKE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
AND WE ALSO GAVE LAND ON THE HALF TAX HUMANITY DOWN.
THEY, I THINK TWO HOOK IN THERE.
SO THAT WHAT WE DID AVAILABLE AND WE HAD, WE DIDN'T HAVE A BLOCK.
AND I THINK THAT'S A, IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORD HAS
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WILLINGUM, PUTTING UP THE MONEY FOR THE HOME REPAIR THAT'S BEING, I'M PROBABLY ASKED ABOUT THAT AT LEAST TWO, THREE TIMES A WEEK.
HOW DID YOU DO THAT? HOW DID THAT WORK? UM, IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD
UM, PROBABLY NOT A GREAT IDEA CONSIDERING THE MASS OF THE SIZE OF THE COUNTY.
UM, BUT I THINK ALL MUNICIPALITIES, WE WENT OVER AND TALKED TO JASPER COUNTY, THEY WERE LIKE, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET DEVELOPERS TO COME HERE? TELL US WHAT IT IS.
WE SENT A DEVELOPER YESTERDAY OVER, SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND SEE WHAT WAS AVAILABLE, HOW, WHAT CAPACITY THEY HAVE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IN JASPER COUNTY.
THEY JUST DON'T HAVE CAPACITY.
UM, SO I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING THINGS.
WE HAVE TO KEEP TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET THESE THINGS OUT OF THE GROUND.
AND THERE'S SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE A HABIT OF LOOKING AT THAT SAYING, OH MY GOSH, FOR, FOR OVERGROWN, IT IS GOING TO BE MASSIVE.
BUT IN FACT, WHEN THESE ALL GET COS WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IS LESS DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC REQUIREMENTS AND BECAUSE OF WHERE THE ECONOMY IS GOING AND THE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT IT.
RIGHT? ATTENDED MEETING IN ATLANTA WITH THEIR HOME LOAN, BANK UNCERTAINTY WAS USED.
THAT WORD WAS USED PROBABLY 150 TIMES OVER TWO DAYS.
AND THESE ARE BANKERS WHO ARE TROLLING, YOU KNOW, MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND BANKERS DON'T LIVE ON UNCERTAINTY.
SO UNTIL WE KIND OF GET THROUGH THIS NEXT PROBABLY 12 MONTHS TO SEE WHERE WE ARE, IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH.
THERE WILL BE, EVERY DEVELOPER HAS GOT A GAP.
AND TO TRY AND FILL THAT USUALLY MEANS, AND I HATE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT GONNA HAVE TO MAKE PROJECTS WARM, GONNA HAVE TO BUILD FEWER UNITS BECAUSE YOU CAN AFFORD WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD IF YOU'VE GOT A $2 MILLION GAP.
AND AGAIN, IT'S OFF AS A WAY TO REDUCE THAT GAP.
SO IT JUST MEANS WE'RE PUTTING FEWER HOMES IN, OUT INTO MARKET.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY'S GOT GO.
THIS AREA HAS REALLY BEEN WILLING TO LISTEN AND REALLY BEEN WILLING TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE, DO SOME THINGS THAT DONE.
SO YOU SHOULD FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT.
FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE FUTURE.
I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
UH, THE FIRST ONE'S GOING TO HEAR, UH, THE LENDING SIDE OF THINGS OR ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING INTERNALLY TO LEND OR ARE YOU JUST GIVING MONEY TO HELP WITH DOWN PAYMENTS FOR, UH, TRADITIONAL BANKS? SO WE, UM, WE HAVE THREE PLATFORMS, CREATION AND PRESERVATION.
SO WE PUT $500,000 INTO, UM, THE, UH, PROJECT, THE SENIOR PROJECT BEING ASKED TO PUT MONEY IN OTHER PROJECTS.
UH, WE WERE ASKED LAST WEEK OR THIS WEEK, THIS WEEK, UH, TO LOOK AT A PROPOSED PROJECT TO
UM, SECOND THING WE WERE DOING IS PROVIDING MONEY FOR HOME REPAIR.
THAT IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST DEMAND THAT WE HAVE.
UH, AND THIRD IS FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.
THAT IS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT HAS STRUGGLED THE MOST.
ONLY BECAUSE, NOT BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT PEOPLE WHO WANT HOMES, BUT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD 'EM.
EVEN IF WE GIVE THE FIRST TIME LOAN MONEY.
I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO MY QUESTION, IS THERE A WAY TO TO SIGN AN INTERNAL LENDING PROGRAM TO ISSUE A SECURITY INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY AND, AND ACTUALLY GENERATE THE LOAN ITSELF.
SO BASICALLY SELF-FINANCE THROUGH THE TRUST, UM, OR NOT SELF FINANCE, BUT FINANCE THROUGH THE TRUST RATHER THAN GOING TO A TRADITIONAL LENDER.
SO THAT WAS THE INTENT OF WHAT WE TOOK TO CENTER FITNESS.
THE BULK OF WHAT WE GAVE HIM WAS REQUEST TO PROVIDE GAP FINANCING, ESSENTIALLY A LOAN FROM US TO GET A DEAL DONE.
UH, AND HE HAD HIM IN THE BUDGET.
SO WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW IS WE'RE LOOKING, DEVELOPERS
[00:35:01]
ARE COMING TO US ON A ONE-OFF BASIS.HOW CAN YOU HELP ME? WE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ARE THERE DOLLARS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT IN DIRECTLY, UM, AND OUR BOARD BY, BY ME, BY JENNIFER ALL THE TIME.
SHOULD THIS BE A LOAN? SHOULD THIS BE A BRAND? HOW SHOULD THIS LOOK? WHAT'S OUR, WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR? UM, WITH RESPECT TO HOW WE PUT MONEY OUT,
WE'RE JUST NOT BEING ABLE TO DO IT ON A SCALE, ON A SCALE THAT WE WANT TO.
AND, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU IS, AND AND I ASKED YOU THIS ALREADY ONCE, UM, AT ONE OF THE LAST MEETINGS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO ON A REGULATORY BASIS TO REDUCE FEES FOR TRUE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECTS? NOT JUST SOMEBODY SLAPPING OUT LABEL ONE ONE, BUT TRUE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO VIA ORDINANCE OR SOME REGULATORY SCHEME TO HELP REDUCE THAT WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK AND ASKING, YOU KNOW, PER PROJECT? SO DIFFERENT STATES DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, A LOT OF STATES HAVE PROVISIONS ON THE WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT SAYS IF IT IS A TAX EXEMPT OWNER, YOU ARE TAX EXEMPT WITH RESPECT TO TAXES LOCALLY.
THERE ARE, THIS WORKS NO DIFFERENTLY THAN A REGULAR MARKET RATE DEAL.
AND THE FACT THAT THE LONGER IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH THE REGULATORY PROCESS THAT WORKFORCE HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER IS INCURRING THIS INTEREST COSTS, THEY'RE INCURRING THIS.
PREDEVELOPMENT COSTS, PREDEVELOPMENT COSTS.
NOW, WORKFORCE CENTER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON A 48 UNIT DEAL, CRESTING ALMOST $300,000.
IF YOU'RE GONNA PUT $300,000 IN UPFRONT BEFORE YOU KNOW IF YOU CAN GET IT FINANCED, WHICH IS A BURDEN THAT WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING BILL PER SHARE, UH, THE ABILITY TO GET SOMETHING DONE FASTER, THE ABILITY TO GET AN EXEMPTION ON TAXES, THE ABILITY, EVEN IF IT IS A PILOT ON TAXES.
AND THAT'S PROVEN IN A LOT OF STATES TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC COULD GO ALONG WITH.
BUT ALSO SOMETHING THAT DRAMATICALLY HELPS AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING WHERE YOU ARE ON A GRADUATED TAX SYSTEM OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD.
AND IT WORKS AND IT WORKS WELL BECAUSE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHEN YOU GET TO 10 YEARS, YOU CRESTED NOW THE TAX CREDIT EQUITY OF THE DEAL AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT REFINANCING THE DEAL.
SO YOU LOOK AT A FUTURE INVESTOR AND SAY, I'M AT MY 10 YEAR LIMIT.
I'M PAYING MY FULL SHARE OF TAXES, THEREFORE HAPPIER TO GIVE YOU A BETTER DEAL GOING FORWARD.
BUT THEY KNOW YOU CAN PAY THE TAX BURDEN THAT GOING FORWARD, ANYTHING THAT WILL GIVE A PROJECT A CHANCE TO MATURE, UH, ANYTHING THAT WILL GIVE A DEVELOPER THE ABILITY TO GET SOMETHING DONE FASTER WOULD BE ENORMOUSLY.
UM, MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IN WORKFORCE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE AGENCY THEMSELVES, THE STATE THEMSELVES, BIRTH THOSE PROPERTIES BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS ONE THING.
THEY WANT YOU TO DRIVE BY AND NOT KNOW WHETHER THAT'S AN AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE DEAL OR A MARKETING.
SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS AT THE STATE LEVEL ON AFFORDABLE AND WORTHLESS HOUSING ARE STAGGERING.
THE, JUST THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ARE STAGGERING IN SAN FRANCISCO.
TO CREATE AN AFFORDABLE UNIT, ONE UNIT 1.1 MILLION IN SOUTHEAST, IT'S CRESTING ABOUT $320,000.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA BURDENS THAT ARE PUT ON.
YOU GOT YOUR LOCAL BURDEN AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR STATE BURDEN FROM THE HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY.
WE WERE FIGHTING TO SAY, COME ON, YOU KNOW, IF THE LOCALITY IS MAKING US DO THIS, IF WE'RE MEETING ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR BANK, THE STATE SHOULDN'T BEEN OVERBURDENED PROJECT BY PUTTING ANOTHER LAYER ON THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO OPERATE.
WE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN ATLANTA, UH, WAS WHAT HOUSING AUTHORITIES ARE DOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS A WORK MODEL BASED.
SO YOU ARE AWARE THAT HOUSING AUTHORITY IS GOING TO REDO WITH MARSH POINT AND SANDALWOOD, YOU'RE
[00:40:01]
GONNA TEAR 'EM DOWN.THAT'S THE MOST, ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK THEY'VE TALKED TO A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT THEY'RE GONNA TEAR 'EM DOWN AND BUILD NEW, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE GONNA BE AND IF THEY ARE BURDENED BY THE FED PLUS THE STATE PLUS THE
IT'LL MAKE EVERYBODY'S HEADS DOWN.
I'M NOT SAYING IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE DONE.
IT CLEARLY IT DOES, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF THOUGHT RESPECT TO HOW YOU'RE GOING DO THAT.
DOES ANYTHING HELP? I MEAN TO, TO DAVID'S POINT IN THAT GAP FINANCING, IF YOU OWN LAND, YOU LONG TERM GROUND LEASE WITH A DEVELOPER, YOU KEEP IT PERPETUITY AFFORDABLE AND YOU FILL SOME GAP ON THAT DEVELOPER.
SO I SO YOU THOUGHT THAT IS, UH, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DONE A LOT AND IT GUARANTEES THAT THAT PROJECT IS GONNA REMAIN WORKFORCE OR IT'S GONNA REMAIN RESTRICTED IN SOME WAY.
UM, AT OUR PRESENTATION EARLIER THIS WEEK, OUR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROJECT AT LAUREL BAY, THEY WERE WILLING TO GO TO 99 YEARS.
I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD ADVOCATE NOT TO DO THAT.
UH, ONLY BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO 50 YEARS, THE STATE NOW REQUIRES YOU TO GO TO 40 YEARS ON ATTACHMENT.
IF YOU GO TO 50 YEARS, THE AVERAGE LIFE OF A MULTIFAMILY PROJECT IS ABOUT 45 YEARS BEFORE THINGS REALLY START BECOMING CRAZY.
AND WITH RESPECT TO REPAIR ALSO, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN 50 YEARS FROM NOW.
BUT THE ODDS ARE, AND IT IS LIKELY THE LAND ON WHICH THAT PROJECT IS BUILT MAY BE WAY MORE VALUABLE THAN THE PROJECT.
SO GIVE IT A CHANCE IF IT SHOULD BECOME SOMETHING ELSE, IF IT SHOULD BE USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
DON'T HAVE THIS REGULATORY REQUIREMENT SITTING OVER HERE THAT'S FOUND LEGALLY, UH, THAT YOU CAN'T MOVE THAT UP.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S THE RIGHT THING AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW DO WE MAINTAIN AFFORDABILITY, THE REQUIREMENT TO WORK AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I'M GONNA BE INTERESTED TO SEE IF THEY DO THIS.
A LOT OF HOUSING AUTHORITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE SAYING, UH, YOU CAN ONLY STAY HERE FOR FOUR YEARS AND YOU HAVE TO SHOW US THE ABILITY TO WORK WITHIN ONE YEAR.
AND HOUSING AUTHORITY, MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE WORKING, BUT THEY'RE WORKING, THEY ARE AT THE LOWEST OF THE LOW INCOME LEVEL, MINIMUM WAGE OF THAT.
UH, SO IF YOU TELL ME THAT MY LIFE CIRCUMSTANCE DICTATE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAVE AND IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY AND I GOTTA, I GOTTA GO TO WORK AND I GOTTA LEAVE HERE IN FOUR YEARS, THE INCENTIVES ON ME ARE, ARE REALLY STRONG TO FIGURE OUT WHERE MY LIFE IS GONNA GO, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, HOW I'M GONNA DO THIS.
IF I KNOW I CAN ONLY STAY HERE FOUR YEARS, I'VE GOTTA START THINKING ABOUT HOW I'M GOING TO DO THIS.
UH, IT IS WORKING IN EVERY PLACE THAT IT'S BEING DONE.
UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FROM
UM, THEY ARE NOT, THEY HAVE NOT ADOPTED THOSE PROGRAMS YET, BUT THEIR BOARD IS
SO, UM, THE OTHER ISSUE IS, I THINK IN BUFORD, CASPER, CHESTER COUNTIES, THERE ARE CLOSE TO 2,500 PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST TO GET INTO HOUSING PROPERTIES.
I WAS HERE WHEN CASH CREDIT PROGRAM WAS FIRST BORN.
IT WAS NOT CALLED LOW INCOME HOUSING PATCH MEMBER.
IT WAS CALLED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
AND THE WHOLE POINT WAS TO SAY, OKAY, YOU, YOU ARE BY CIRCUMSTANCE DICTATE YOU NEED THIS HELP.
WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU, BUT THE EXPECTATION IS THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GET A BETTER JOB AND MOVE INTO MARKET RATE HOUSING OR BUY YOUR OWN HOME.
WE'RE NOW IN A SITUATION WHERE A LOT OF WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES AND GOT MOM AND YOU GOT GRANDMA AND YOU DAUGHTER ALL LIVING IN THE SAME PLACE.
WHY WOULD YOU MOVE IF YOUR RENT OR A MARKET RATE STYLE APARTMENT IS $1 CHEAPER THAN DOWN THE STREET? THERE'S NO INCENTIVE
[00:45:01]
TO MOVE.UH, AND EVEN IF YOU'RE WORKING, EVEN IF YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO THE THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A TIME STRENGTH THERE, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.
WE WE'RE LOOKING AT TO SEE IF IT'S WORKING WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS TO SEE IF, OKAY, THIS FAMILIES ARE BEING TOLD THE END, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? YES.
CAN'T GO FROM THAT TO THE CHEAPEST AND THEY CAN'T GO TO 3000 A MONTH RENT.
RIGHT? THERE ARE SOME OF THE PRODUCT THAT'S BEING BUILT CURRENTLY, COUNTY IN THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH APARTMENTS.
THEY'RE PRESSING ABOVE 3000 AND HEADED TOWARDS HIGHER AND $3,000.
YOU END UP DOING WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO.
THEY'LL GO IN, BUT THEY, THEY'LL HAVE FIVE PEOPLE, 10 PEOPLE HAVE MANY PEOPLE THEY GOT BE ABLE TO NOT HELPING.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT NEXT LEVEL OF HOUSING IN ORDER TO LOOK AT SOMEBODY AND SEVEN OUT AT THE END OF FOUR YEARS.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMEWHERE REASON, AND DEVELOPERS ARE, THEY'RE NOT THE BRIGHTEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, BUT THEY SPEND MONEY.
AND IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO BUILD THAT NEXT LEVEL PRODUCT AND BE STANDING THERE AND SAYING, YOU'VE GOT THREE, FOUR YEARS, COME ON IN, THEY'LL DO, IT SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT ELEVATE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, UH, BECAUSE YOU ARE SPENDING LESS MONEY, YOU'RE KEEPING FAMILIES IN THOSE HOMES.
WE HAVE A, A SURPLUS OF HOMES THAT ARE NEEDING THAT CARE, THAT 20 TO $25 MILLION PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, HOW ACCESSIBLE IS THAT, UH, FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO, UH, GET TO THAT MONEY.
UH, AND UH, HOW MUCH IS AVAILABLE, UH, FOR THEM FROM THAT PROGRAM TO DO THOSE KIND OF HOME REPAIRS? SO THE STATE LEVEL, THEY HAVE TWO LEVELS.
ONE THEY CALL CRITICAL REPAIR AND ONE THEY CALL REGULAR REPAIR.
YOU FILL OUT THE APPLICATION, IT IS INCOME LIMITED.
UH, AND IT IS, JENNIFER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK IT IS $75,000 FOR A HOUSEHOLD, IF IT'S CRITICAL, I THINK IT'S 35,000 PER HOUSEHOLD.
IT REQUIRES THAT WE AS THE TRUST BE THE HOUSE, TAKE IT TO THE STATE.
THEIR INSPECTORS COME AND LOOK AT IT.
THE BIG ISSUE WITH THE STATE IS THAT THEY WANT EVERYTHING BROUGHT UP TO CODE THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT A DOLLAR IN.
AND THAT IN SOME CASES IS VERY DIFFICULT.
WE HAVE TWO KIND OF SPECIAL ISSUES HERE THAT ARE NOT PREVALENT IN OTHER AREAS.
WE HAVE HEIRS ISSUES, UH, OUR GRANTEE ON AT UH, ST.
HELENA AT 72 HOMES THAT THEY PREPARE, BUT THEY HAVE, HES ISSUES.
YOU HAVE TO PROVE THAT YOU ON OWN.
THAT IS ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS WITH THE STATE AND WITH CITY OF BUFORD FUND.
UH, AND IT, IT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DO NOT WANT TO PUT MONEY INTO A AIR LANDLORD THAT WAS RENTING THAT.
THEN IF YOU GO IN AND MAKE THAT REPAIR, THAT GIVES THEM AN INCENTIVE TO EITHER RAISE THE RENT OR REMOVE THE RENTER FOR THE HOUSE UP FOR SALE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE THAT IS, THAT IS AN ISSUE, UH, IS SORT OF PRESERVATION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, SOMEBODY ASKED ME, WHY DON'T WE TAKE THE CITY PAPER MONEY AND PUT IT IN HISTORIC RESERVATION HOME.
THAT WOULD'VE, ONE HOUSE WOULD ABSORB PROBABLY THE 250,000, NOT, AND WE PROBABLY STILL WOULDN'T HIT EVERYTHING.
SO THERE'S THAT ISSUE AS WELL.
BUT THE PRIMARY RESTRICTIONS ARE THAT ARE AN 80% OF A MI OR LESS, UH, IN YOUR HOUSE.
AND WHATEVER MONEY GOES IN HAS TO CURE FROM WHAT WE THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE WHEN WE FUNCTION.
THE CITY OF BUFORT FUND IS GONNA BE MORE IN THE WAY OF BATHROOM FLOORS, PUT THEM TO SINK.
[00:50:01]
ANY COSMETIC THING.UM, SO WE'LL SEE AFTER THIS FIRST ROUND, I EXPECT WE'RE GONNA HAVE WAY MORE APPLICANTS THAN WE'RE GONNA HAVE MONEY TO, TO DO IT.
BUT WE'LL SEE WHO IT IS THAT APPLIES, WHERE THEY'RE APPLYING FROM AND HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE IN GETTING THOSE FUNDS TO THEM.
THOSE DOLLARS ARE ALREADY SITTING HERE TO BE QUALIFIED ON THE APPLICATION.
COME TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU ARE ON THE LIST AND HOW WE CAN HELP YOU.
SO WE'LL FORWARD BACK TO YOU ON HOW SUCCESSFUL WE'VE BEEN.
WE HAVE TO LAUNCH THAT WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THE APPLICATION TO MAKE SURE IT'S FAIR.
AND OF COURSE IT'S GONNA RUN BY LAWYERS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY THINK IT'S FAIR.
UM, AND I TOLD SOMEBODY THE OTHER DAY, THEY ASKED ME WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN THE WORLD SINCE I STARTED DOING THIS.
AND ONE IS BANKING, BANKING IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT.
I DID MY FIRST DEAL, MY TOTAL LEGAL COST, 500.
MY LEGAL COST EXCEEDED HALF A MILLION BUCKS.
UH, EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE A LAWYER WHERE TWO OR MORE PEOPLE MEET ONCE THE LAWYERS SAY, AND IT'S GOOD.
AND THE CITY AND TRUST AGREED THIS FORMAT WOULD THE APPROPRIATE ADVERTISING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OTHER MEDIA, UM, WE FOUNDATION, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THEM, AND BY THE WAY, THIS
AND, AND I TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, TO MAKE THIS WORK.
BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEY'LL FILL THE DELTA.
SO IF YOU HAVE A, A APPLICANT, LET'S SAY IN A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN THEIR STORAGE DISTRICT, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
BUT IF YOU GOTTA BRING IT UP TO THAT LEVEL, THEY WON, THEN YOU FILL THE DELTA AND THAT'S WHAT THEY CAN COME IN AND FILL AT IT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT CAN THE STATE, IF WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT EXCEEDS OUR SET ASIDE
THEY HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE.
I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S AN ENORMOUS, ENORMOUS PROBLEM.
UM, BUT EVERYBODY HAS UN SET RULES ABOUT THAT TOO.
SO WE CAN'T PUT ANYTHING ON IT FROM THE STATE DOLLARS.
UH, NOTHING THAT'S 4, 4, 5 YEARS OLD.
UH, AND THEY REALLY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, DOLLAR AND HAVE YOU SATISFY ALL THE ISSUES.
WHO OWNS THE STRUCTURE OF QUESTIONS? WHO OWNS THE LAND? QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ANSWER ANOTHER THING, ANY REPAIR.
I KNOW WE'RE ONLY GONNA BE DOING GROUPS, UH, THE COSMETIC.
AND, UH, THERE'S SEVERAL GROUPS OUT THERE THROUGH CHURCHES AND OTHERS THAT, UH, I MADE A LITTLE LIST OF PEOPLE I THINK THAT INVOLVED IN THAT.
UM, KIND OF COORDINATING ALL OF THIS AND SAYING, OKAY, THIS PERSON ALSO NEEDS, AND I, I, I REALIZE THE LEAD PAINT'S A BIG ISSUE.
BUT THEY, THEY CAN COME IN AND DO SOME COSMETIC REPAIR, UM, THROUGH VOLUNTEERS AND ALL THAT.
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE WE CAN DO.
AND, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THERE ARE A LOT OF GROUPS,
WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE, WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS THE SAME THING.
WANT PEOPLE TO LIVE A SAFE HOUSE, A HEALTHY HOUSE.
UH, BUT ALSO IF YOU MAKE THE REPAIRS, IT'S LIKE THEY'RE GONNA STAY IN THAT HOUSE FOR A LOT OF LONGER.
THEY'RE GONNA GENERATE, THEY'RE GONNA GENERATE TAXES, THEY'RE GONNA GENERATE DISCRETIONARY INCOME.
UH, THEY JUST DON'T QUITE HAVE THE FUNDS OR THE ABILITY TO BORROW THE FUNDS TO REPLACE ALL IN THEIR HOUSE.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA COME BACK A YEAR FROM NOW, BUNCH OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE HAPPY
[00:55:06]
ZONING BASED AND THAT NEEDS A LOT.AND ON THE DESIGN AND SOME OF THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS ARE SUCH THAT THEY JUST MAKE IT SO YOU CAN'T BUILD A HOUSE
WE'VE HAD COUPLE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, NATIONAL BUILDER HAS COME IN, GOT THE DENSITY THEY WANTED BASED ON PUTTING ADDITIONAL THINGS INTO THE HOUSE ITSELF, ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, NICER.
SO THEY'VE COME BACK AND SAID, GIVE US, KEEP THE DENSITY BUT REMOVE THESE THINGS THAT WE PROMISED THAT WE WOULD DO OR SOME OF THAT.
AND IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT, WE'LL DO SOME FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS AND DO SOME HOME REPAIR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CONVERSATION'S GOING.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CONVERSATION WHEN THEY FIRST BROUGHT THE DEAL IN TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.
IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A, UM, I'M TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING UP SO THAT, UH, IT'LL BE CHEAPER FOR ME.
UM, I SUSPECT THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE JUST GONNA COME BACK IN AND SAY, OKAY, WE WON'T DO ANY WORK WET, DO ANYTHING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS WE'RE JUST GONNA FILL, WE'RE GONNA GO PUT IT OUT IN THE MARKETPLACE ITSELF.
UM, BUT THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS, IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE HELD SOON ENOUGH IN THE DEVELOPMENT, SO THINGS DON'T GET BAKED IN.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT IN THAT DISCUSSION SEEMED LIKE EASY THINGS THAT THERE COULD BE SOME COMPROMISE.
BUT I THINK EVERYBODY HAD ALREADY SET THEIR STAKES IN THE GROUND AND THEY HAD ALREADY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND THEY JUST WEREN'T GOING TO BEND WELL.
I THINK ALSO THAT ZONING ORDINANCES DON'T ALLOW THAT KIND OF NEGOTIATION.
I MEAN, COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITIES ARE SAYING, WE'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING IF YOU'LL GIVE SOMETHING BACK.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU SAY, GIVE IT TO ME ANYWAY, AND I'M NOT GONNA GIVE, GIVE WHAT I PROMISED BACK, THERE'S NOBODY THAT I KNOW THAT WORKS FOR MUNICIPALITY OR FOR A COUNTY OR ANY GOVERNMENT ENTITY THAT SAYS, OKAY, WE'LL TAKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, YOU RESCIND EVERYTHING YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA DO AND WE'LL GIVE YOU THE EXTRA DENSITY.
ALL I WAS GONNA SAY, YOU, MIKE WOULD KNOW THAT, UH, THIS WEEK WE APPROVED THE 20 LOT MODULAR HOME COMPLEX CLAYTON HOMES IN THE HOSPITAL THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH THEM TO BASICALLY GET OVER ALL THE DESIGN.
SO THE HOSPITAL I THINK WAS KIND OF UNDERWRITING THAT.
SO CLAYTON HOMES WAS ABLE TO DESIGN A PRODUCT.
SO WE USED OUR ARCHITECT IN OUR STAFF TO KIND OF HELP THEM.
AND SO IT WORKED OUT, IT JUST TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
WE WERE ON THAT, I THINK THAT INITIAL CALL, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL WANTED WAS WE WANT TO LOOK LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE THE TRAILER PARK.
AND I THINK CLAYTON KEPT DIGGING AND FIGURING OUT HOW THEY WERE GONNA ACCOMMODATE THAT AND THEY WEREN'T.
IT CAN'T BE ACCOMMODATED ALLOWED.
AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A GREAT COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S GONNA, YOU ALL KNOW WE HAVE A HOSPITAL HAS A CRISIS CRISIS.
UM, 30% OF ITS NURSING STAFF IS TRANSIENT.
AND IF YOU HAVE 30% OF YOUR EMPLOYEES TRANSIENT, THEY'RE TURNING EVERY 120 DAYS, IT MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE.
PLUS THEY GET PAID A LOT MORE THAN THE STAFF.
THEY GET PAID A LOT MORE AND THEY REALLY, THEY'RE ONLY HERE FOR 120 DAYS.
THEY'RE HERE TO GET THAT $2,500 A MONTH TAX FREE.
AND FRANKLY, IF I WAS A 22-YEAR-OLD NURSE AND I WANTED TO SEE THE COUNTRY, I'LL COME TO BEAUFORT AND SAY, WOW, THIS IS GREAT.
AND IF I WANT TO GO TO FLORIDA NEXT, I'LL DO THIS HOSPITAL THAT IN FLORIDA FOR THAT SAME, AND I'M, AND I'M BRINGING MY LITTLE TRAILER BEHIND ME WHEREVER I GO.
WOULD YOU REALLY BLAME SOMEBODY FOR, FOR DOING THAT WHEN THEY CAN? THEY'VE WORKED HARD TO GET THROUGH NURSING SCHOOL.
BUT THE ISSUE FOR PEOPLE MEMORIAL IS THAT THOSE NURSES DON'T HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN PATIENTS OR THE HOSPITAL OR THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE JUST HERE BECAUSE IT'S FINANCIALLY BENEFICIAL TO THEM.
AND DURING THE SUMMER, THE HOSPITAL REACHED THAT THEY CALLED CRISIS STAGE, WHERE THEY HAD PEOPLE OUT IN THE HALLWAY, GURNEYS AND NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO,
[01:00:01]
AND RUSSELL, EVERY TIME YOU LISTEN TO RUSSELL, HE'S SAYING, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THERE WHERE YOU'RE GONNA WALK IN AND THERE'S GONNA BE NOBODY THERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU IF WE DON'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOUSE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE PERMANENT HOUSING.I, I, I JUST HAVE TO PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A DESIRE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A SUBURBAN STYLE HOUSE ON A LARGE LOT WITH A GARAGE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT MODEL BEING, GETTING ON A SMALLER LOT, MUCH LESS SETBACK, BUT STILL DOMINATED BY A GARAGE.
SO IT BECOMES AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS IT, IT IS NOT AS DESIRABLE TO LIVE IN.
IT CREATES A, A PEDESTRIAN, UH, SITUATION WHERE IT IS NOT AS SAFE TO WALK BECAUSE YOU HAVE CARS PARKED ON DRIVEWAYS.
AND SO THE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE FOR HIGHER DENSITY ARE MEANT TO TRY, YOU KNOW, HAVE EITHER A DRIVEWAY THAT GOES BACK BY THE HOUSE OR ALLEY ACCESS AND THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GETTING PUSHED BACK ON.
YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE SAYING THAT IT IS A BOTTOM LINE ISSUE.
I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS BALANCE BETWEEN ARE WE CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE, YOU KNOW, A MUCH LESS DESIRABLE TYPE OF COMMUNITY, UH, THAT'S NOT AS SAFE, YOU KNOW, FOR PEDESTRIANS OR KIDS TO PLAY VERSUS ONE THAT IS MORE MODELED AFTER TRADITIONAL, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAIN STREET THAT YOU OR I MEAN RESIDENTIAL STREET WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVEWAY EVERY 30 FEET.
AND SO I, I JUST, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, AND I CERTAINLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA UNDERTAKE IN THE COUNTY ARE WHAT ARE SOME REASONABLE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONSIDER IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THINGS ARE ADDING COSTS.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE MAY DECIDE.
THESE ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HIGHER DENSITY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE BUILDING MORE HOUSES OR TOWN HOUSES ON THE STREET AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S DRIVEWAYS AND CARS EVERYWHERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME BALANCE BETWEEN CREATING A DESIRABLE COMMUNITY FOR, FOR
SO I'VE BEEN IN THE THREE CONVERSATIONS,
AND WE WERE ON THE TABLE PRIMARILY BEING ASKED IF WE MAKE THIS EXCHANGE FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS AND PUT MONEY INTO HOME REPAIRS IN THE COMMUNITY, WILL YOU HELP US DO THAT? WE CERTAINLY WOULD.
BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE, WE ALREADY TOLD YOU WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO HAVE TO DO TO GET THE DENSITY.
WE ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT NOW YOU ARE WANTING TO EXCHANGE SOMETHING ELSE TO GET A LOWER PRICE PRODUCT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE COUNTY'S RELUCTANCE TO DO THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT SET A PRECEDENT WHERE EVERY DEVELOPER WOULD GO, WELL WAIT A MINUTE, YOU DID IT FOR THEM.
WHY OR NOT, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU.
I ALSO DON'T DISAGREE HOW THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IT.
IT IS KIND OF GOING AROUND YOUR AND TRYING TO GET WHAT YOU WANT.
BUT I THINK THESE CONVERSATIONS, WHILE THEY HAVEN'T INITIALLY AT THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE, DEVELOPERS, BY AND LARGE, ALMOST ALL OF THEM WILL TELL YOU WHATEVER YOU NEED TO HEAR TO GET WHAT THEY NEED AND THEN TRY TO CHANGE THE GAME YOU LATER ON.
I MEAN, IT IS, IT IS PART OF THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE UNDERSTAND, I'M NOT SO SURE THAT THEIR PROPOSAL ON FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS AND ON REPAIR FUND TAKES THE PLACE OF WHAT THEY'RE ASKING YOU TO GIVE THE BACK, THE CONCESSIONS THEY'RE ASKING YOU TO GIVE.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE MUNICIPALITY HAS TO LOOK DOWN THE ROAD AND SAY 25 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT IS THIS? UH, JENNIFER AND I DROVE THROUGH A HABITAT COMMUNITY THAT'S SPILLED 25 YEARS AGO THAT NEEDS COMPLETE.
I THOUGHT HABITAT STAYED IN THE DEAL AS THE HOMEOWNER, THE PROPERTY OF THE JEWELRY, BUT THEY DON'T.
AND SO THERE WAS A FAILURE THERE TO SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, DO THESE PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO KEEP THESE HOUSE MAINTAINED? DO THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THIS? AND WHEN IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM,
[01:05:01]
IT CAME DOWN TO WE, I KNOW I HAVE A LEAP IN THE ROOF, BUT I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PREPARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.HARD THING FOR EVERYBODY TO, TO ACCEPT IS THAT THERE'S AS MUCH OF AN ONUS ON THE HOMEOWNER RENT AS THERE IS ON THE DEVELOPER.
AND YOU STILL GOT TO BE RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS.
YOU STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN YOUR PROPERTY.
YOU STILL HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS NOT PUT OUR MONEY WHERE IT MAKES THE MOST IMPACT, BUT ALSO IT'S GOTTA BE A LASTING IMPACT.
WE DON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO SAY, WELL YOU MADE THIS REPAIR LAST YEAR AND IT ONLY LASTED A YEAR.
LET'S MAKE THE REPAIR CITY WORK MUNICIPALITIES ON HOW WE CAN GET THIS WHERE EVERYBODY'S HAPPY.
MY OLD MENTOR TOLD ME, BEST NEGOTIATION IS WHERE EVERYBODY'S UNHAPPY AT THE END OF THE DAY.
YOU GOTTA GIVE, YOU GOTTA GIVE SOMETHING.
I'VE TAKEN WAY MORE OF YOUR TIME THAN I WAS PROBABLY SOPHISTICATED.
ANY OTHER QUESTION? YEAH, I ACTUALLY, TED POTENTIAL OWNERS THROUGH A ONE YEAR PROCESS, FOUND THEM JOBS THAT THEY COULD STAY IN AND THEN HAD MENTORS ON A PROFESSIONAL BASIS THAT THEY WOULD, UH, TIE INTO SO THAT WHENEVER THEY HAD A PROBLEM ON THEIR JOB, WHATEVER REASON, THEY COULD CALL THAT MENTOR AND THAT MENTOR WOULD WORK WITH THEM.
AND MAYBE, UM, THE EMPLOYER AT THE SAME TIME I WAS PART OF THAT GROUP, BUT WE WERE ALSO BUILDING HOUSES THAT WERE THREE BEDROOMS IN ATLANTA AND WE TURNED V THIS WAS A WHILE, OBVIOUSLY A LONG TIME AGO.
IT WAS COST BECAUSE OF THE DONATIONS FOR THE LUMBER AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN THE LABOR WAS DONATED TO, SO, UH, THEY WERE GETTING MORTGAGES FOR $18,000 AND MADE SURE THAT THEY COULD AFFORD TO ACTUALLY GIVE UP.
UM, THERE'S PROBABLY A WHOLE LOT MORE IN DEPTH THAN WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT, UM, ANYHOW, UH, I'M GONNA WANNA KNOW A WHOLE LOT MORE ABOUT THIS HOME REPAIR PROGRAM TOO BECAUSE WE'RE DURING THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT FROM A CODE STANDPOINT.
UH, WE HAVE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK, SO THEY INVITE YOU BACK TO DO SOME MORE OF THIS FOR ANOTHER MEETING.
WE'RE IN OUR INITIAL MEETINGS WITH THE CITY ON STRUCTURE AND WE'LL CERTAINLY SIT DOWN AND MPROMISE THIS VIOLATE SOMETHING YOU DUNNO ABOUT.
UH, SO, BUT, UH, WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE, HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
BE HAPPY TO COME BACK ANYTIME.
BE HAPPY TO MEET ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE WELL OVER A THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND I APPRECIATE IT.
COME BACK AND I'LL COME BACK ANYTIME YOU WANT.
UM, I FAILED TO ASK, UH, GO AROUND AND ASK FOR EVERYBODY TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
I GUESS I'LL FORGET THAT FOR NOW, BUT, UH, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ONLINE THAT'S A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE THAT NO.
UH, THEN I, UH, APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT MOVING ON.
[6. SOLO GROWTH BOUNDARIES – ROB MERCHANT, DIRECTOR, BEAUFORT COUNTY PLANNING & ZONING DEPARTMENT]
UH, I GUESS, UH, ROB, ARE YOU, I I CAN PROVIDE A BRIEFER VERSION OF THE CONVERSATION.OR, OR COME BACK ON ANOTHER MEETING.
I CAN COME BACK ANOTHER, I MEAN, I, ONE THING COULD DO, I CAN MAYBE TAKE FIVE MINUTES AND KIND OF GET BACK TO ONE.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE HERE AWARE OF THIS, UM, INITIATIVE, BUT NOT EVERYONE SO WELL, YOU WANNA NO.
LET'S, SO, UM, WHY, WHY DON'T WE DO THE OVERVIEW AND THEN, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE YOU COME BACK.
SO, UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, YOU KNOW, SO LOCO, YOU KNOW,
[01:10:01]
SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY, BUT NOW IT, IT REALLY INCLUDES EVERY, UM, JURISDICTION THAT BEFORD JASPER COUNTY.BUT THEY, UM, THEY PUT TOGETHER A SUBCOMMITTEE TO LOOK AT GROWTH IN THE AREA AND THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING EVERYONE'S COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TO KIND OF MESH AND ALSO IDENTIFY WHERE GROWTH BOUNDARIES WOULD BE.
WE SAW THIS AS A REAL OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE AS YOU'RE AWARE, YOU KNOW, NORTHERN BEAVER COUNTY, WE HAVE A SHARED LAND USE VISION, UH, GROWTH BOUNDARIES.
AND THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON THAT THIS GROUP EXISTS.
BUT IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY, THERE'S REALLY NO, UM, THERE MAY BE GROWTH BOUNDARIES IN COMPANIES OF PLANS, BUT THEY'RE NOT, THERE'S NO REAL REGIONAL OVERSIGHT OR RECOGNITION OR COORDINATION THAT IS GOING ON.
BUT THIS REQUEST BY SO LOCO WE SAW IT'S A REAL POSITIVE STEP.
SO WE PUT TOGETHER A, A, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE MADE UP OF THE PLANNERS OF EACH OF THE, THOSE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.
WE ALSO BROUGHT IN SUCH AS NEEDS TO SPEAK FOR JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UM, UH, SENT THE LANDSCAPE, UH, LOCAL OPEN LAND TRUST.
DIFFERENT GROUPS HAVE HAD REGIONAL, UM, KIND OF A REGIONAL OVERVIEW.
AND WHAT WE KIND OF CAME TO THE CONCLUSION, THE ORIGINAL IDEA WAS TO DO THE STAFF LEVEL AND COME TO SO LOCAL WITH A PROPOSAL FOR WHAT THIS, THESE GROWTH BOUNDARIES, THE SHARED
I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY THE NORTH REGIONAL PLAN WAS SO SUCCESSFUL IS THAT WE HAD EVERYONE SITTING AT THE TABLE, SOME OF 'EM WHO DIDN'T WANT TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM AS EACH OTHER, BUT EVENTUALLY COMING TO AN AGREEMENT OF WHAT A SHARED LAND USE VISION.
SO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS THAT THIS EFFORT TO TAKE PLACE IN A SERIES OF, UH, UM, WORKSHOPS WITH AN INDEPENDENT FACILITATOR THAT WOULD ENGAGE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS IN ADDITION TO STAKEHOLDERS IN THE REGION THAT THEY WOULD IDENTIFY AS THEY REALLY WANT TO HAVE AT THE TABLE TO REALLY ANSWER SOME, TO GO THROUGH SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT AREAS WE, WE AGREED THAT SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
WHAT AREAS DO WE WANT TO CONCENTRATE FUTURE GROWTH AND INFILL, AND COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF ROADMAP IN THE FUTURE THAT MAY LEAD TO AN ARRANGEMENT LIKE WE HAVE IN NORTHERN EASTERN COUNTY WHERE WE HAVE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT, UH, AGREEMENT ON THE RULES OF, OF THE JU JURISDICTIONS WITHIN THE GROWTH BOUNDARIES AND OUTSIDE OF THE GROWTH BOUNDARIES.
UM, AND SO THIS PRESENTATION WE HAD SOME COMMUNICATION WITH, SO LOCAL WE PRESENTED, UH, LAST MONTH AT THEIR MARCH MEETING AND THEN WE PRESENTED THIS TUESDAY AND WHAT AT THE MARCH MEETING, THEY ASKED US TO COME UP WITH A KIND OF A GENERAL GAME PLAN AND WHAT A COST SHARE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, FORMULA WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT IS, THAT WAS GIVEN AS A HANDOUT.
UH, WE TALKED TO SOME CONSULTANTS ABOUT WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO HOLD, LET'S SAY TWO HALF DAY WORKSHOPS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD, UM, THE COST BE TO GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION, KIND OF WORK WITH STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR THEIR, THEIR WORKSHOPS AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE, FACILITATE THE WORKSHOPS AND THEN COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME, UH, A GAME PLAN COMING OUT OF THAT.
AND SO GOING BACK AND FORTH, THERE ARE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.
WE CAME UP WITH A RANGE BETWEEN 50 AND 75,000.
WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO WAS GO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF A CUSHION ON THAT, GO UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND THEN PLUG THAT INTO A REGIONAL FORMULA TO SEE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE GAVE TO THE LOCO ON TUESDAY.
THEIR REQUEST WAS TO KIND OF FURTHER REFINE IT, PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL IN THE, UM, WORK PROGRAM, SEE IF WE CAN FURTHER PINPOINT WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
BUT OUR HOPE WAS IF THERE'S AN INTEREST IN MOVING FORWARD, THIS GIVES THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AN IDEA OF WHAT, UM, DURING THIS BUDGET CYCLE, WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN.
UM, EVEN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
[01:15:01]
WHEN YOU TAKE THE POPULATION, A FEW FROM JASPER COUNTY AND THEN DIVIDED BY THE LOCAL JURISDICTION, THE LARGEST HIT IN BE COUNTY $43,000.SO, UM, HILTON HAD ABL BE THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN 10,000 AND MOST OF THEM ARE CITY BE CORPORAL OR 7,000 BEEN THERE.
SO YEAH, SO IT KIND OF SHOWS THAT IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, IF WE DO A COST SHARE, THIS IS GONNA BE A RELATIVELY LOW HIT FOR EACH OF THE LOCAL JURISDICTION.
BUT I THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS SUCCESSFUL EFFORT, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE REGION.
I THINK THAT WE WOULD ALL AGREE WE'RE GROWING VERY FAST.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING ABOUT 3000 BUILDING PERMITS.
UM, WE, WE DID A, A SNAPSHOT OF THE YEAR 2023.
ABOUT A THIRD OF THOSE ARE THE CITY OF HARVILLE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE SHARE, THE DIFFERENT FUTURE GROWTH THAT THERE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OVER 50,000 ENTITLED DWELLING UNITS IN THE FUTURE.
MOST OF THAT IN THE CITY OF HARVILLE.
SO THERE'S A QUITE A, QUITE A BIT ROOM FOR US TO GROW AS A REGION AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THAT GROWTH AND COORDINATE.
IT'S GONNA BE AN EVER CHALLENGE.
AND I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM UNDERSTANDS GROWTH DYNAMIC IN BEAVER COUNTY, BUT WHEN WE START LOOKING AT WHAT THAT MEANS IN THE FUTURE AND IF WE CONTINUE TO REACH OUT INTO JURISDICTION OR OUT INTO JASPER COUNTY AND GROW, THERE'S GONNA BE A CONSEQUENCE.
YOU KNOW, AND ALL THE PROBLEMS WE'RE HAVING WITH ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ARE ONLY GONNA BE COMPOUNDED.
SO HAVING A REGIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY OF SO LIKE THAT, WHAT THIS RECOMMEND, SO IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM SO LOCO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS GIVE US A FEW MORE DETAILS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AND WILLING TO ANSWER IT WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
YEAH, I'D BE REALLY INTRIGUED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT THAT BUSINESS OR THE UH, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM NEXT, NEXT.
DO MY PRESENTATION A LITTLE MORE DETAIL OUT.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER INTERESTING FACTOR HERE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH INTERNALLY FOR, I MEAN AMONG STAFF, IS THAT BE JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY IS UNDERGOING A VERY DETAILED MASTER PLAN AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THEIR CONSULTANTS DOING IS SIMILAR.
THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET A HANDLE IT.
WHAT DO OUR CONFERENCE PLANS SAY? WHAT DO OUR, WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP LOOK LIKE FOR A REGION? AND SO WE, WE WOULD LOVE TO BUILD ON THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, TRYING TO WORK OUT KIND OF THE COMPLEXITY OF WHAT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A CONTRACT AND HOW WOULD YOU, SO THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS AS FAR AS, WELL IF WE HAVE THE SAME CONSULTANTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT EASIER TO DO AND LESS EXPENSIVE.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION AS A REGION AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT WITH OUR PROCUREMENT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS LIKE THAT WE'RE WORKING OUT.
WE'RE HOPING WHEN WE COME BACK TO SO LOCO AND TO THIS GROUP WE'LL HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THAT PRODUCT THAT THEY'VE PRODUCED PREVIOUSLY.
UM, THAT WOULD HELP ME ASSESS, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE MIGHT WANT TO GO.
I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO YOU PRESENTATION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
ROB, WHEN DO YOU TAKE THE WORKSHOPS WHEN YOU EXPECT YOU MIGHT? UM, SO PROBABLY IDEALLY WOULD BE IN THE FALL.
YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING THAT THERE'S PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GET ANYTHING TOGETHER BEFORE THE SUMMER AND I THINK WE ALL LEARNED THAT THINGS TEND TO SHUT DOWN IN THE SUMMER.
SO THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE? YES.
I MEAN I THINK THAT THAT VERY QUESTION OF, UM, BECAUSE THE QUESTION ABOUT WHERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BEST LOCATED I THINK IS A, IS A BIG PART OF THAT BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK IN THIS LARGER PICTURE THAT THE MORE IF WE
[01:20:01]
PRESS PRESERVE LAND AND WE'RE WE, THAT IS GONNA BE A NEGATIVE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.BUT IF YOU HAVE AN AREA THAT YOU TARGET FOR PRESERVATION THAT YOU, UM, IDENTIFY WHERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR INTEL PROJECTS ARE BEST SUITED OR AREAS WE WANT TO PROMOTE REDEVELOPMENT, THEN THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE, THE COUNTER TO WELL PRESERVATION.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A NEIGHBORHOOD OF ONLY WORTH, YOU COULD HAVE ALL DIFFERENT PRICE LEVELS IN THERE.
BUT TYPICALLY YOU'RE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT HIGHER DENSITY AREAS THAT HAVE CLOSER TO SERVICES.
THAT'S PART OF OUR, THAT'S PART OF OUR PLAN TOO, IS TO ASK MUNICIPALITIES AND JURISDICTIONS WHERE, WHERE DO YOU WANNA SEE IT? LET'S IDENTIFY IT, PUT IT, PUT IT ON A MAP SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WELL YOU SAID HERE SO LET'S DO IT HERE.
AND THEN THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT WHERE YOU GO FROM THERE.
AND I, AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TO HAPPEN.
AND WE ARE IN, I MEAN JUST GETTING BACK TO THE, THE PREVIOUS TOPIC WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN, WE GOT AWAY FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES IN OUR CODES BECAUSE THE RATIONALE OF THE FORM-BASED CODE IS THAT YOU HAVE HIGHER DENSITY MIXED USE.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME REASONABLE, UH, WHETHER THERE'S A PROVISION IN THERE FOR PORTAL HOUSING AND, AND SOME THINGS THAT WE UH, THANK YOU TO
I MEAN, AND I KNOW SOMETHING LOW HANGING FRUIT, BUT YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DENSITY, UM, YOU KNOW THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S BALANCING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE MORE HOUSES ON THE STREET, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OLD STYLE SUBURB, THE HOUSES IS JUST SET WAY BACK.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE GENEROUSLY SPACED, BUT IF THEY'RE CRUNCHED TOGETHER WITH RIGHT UP OF THE STREET, THEN THE FRONT FACING GARAGE MAY NOT WORK.
THERE MIGHT BE LIKE LITTLE THINGS TO, TO MAKE DECISIONS ON.
THAT MAY BE THE BUT BUT EVEN BE THINGS LIKE HOW LONG THE E HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT.
I MEAN NOBODY, NO PRE UM, OF THESE ORDINANCES, THE HOUSE, HE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE SOME THE STANDARDS THAT THEY NOW MIX THAT UP.
OR THEY'RE SAYING YOU LIKE 18 INCHES ABOVE GRADE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S AN AREA THAT'S OUT OF A FLOODPLAIN AND HAS GOOD TRADE.
IT'S DEFINITELY NOT BE, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE A NEGOTIABLE.
SO I THINK THINGS LIKE THAT, YEAH, WHEREVER YOU DO THE LINE HOUSING OR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS GONNA HAVE TO BE NEAR TRANSPORTATION ROUTE.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS GONNA BE KEY.
THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THIS AREA IS ONLY GONNA GET WORSE, BUT I DON'T EVEN LIKE DRIVING OUT ROAD, I'LL BE HONEST.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN HERE, BUT WE GOTTA BE DOING BOTH.
WELL I KNOW AND SO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION A BIG PART OF THAT.
WE HAD PRESENTATION LAST, UM, AT OUR JOINT FOR
GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT TO EXPECT.
I THINK THEY WILL BE FINISHED WITH A COUPLE MONTHS, SO, SO WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT I THINK MIKE, YOU GONNA BE INVOLVED IN SOME THAT? YES.
YEAH, I HAVE A MEETING COMING UP NEXT COMING.
YEAH, SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S THE ELEPHANT ROOM.
GOTTA FIGURE SOMETHING OUT THERE.
AND YOU WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CLOSE ONLY TRANSPORTATION IS SHOPPING AND SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION IN SOME CASES AND YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANT 'EM SHELTER.
SAME BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY TRANSPORTATION.
THEY CAN'T GET TO WORK WHERE I LIVE IN SHELDON.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? THANK YOU.
[7. SELECTION OF NEXT MEETING AGENDA ITEM(S)]
ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE PUT ON THE AGENDA? I THINK, UH,[01:25:01]
TIME WE HAVE OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH ROB IT MIGHT TAKE THE WHOLE THING.SO HOPEFULLY IT HAS LOTS GRAPHICS,
SO WE GOTTA LOOK AT THE TOTAL PICTURE.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE RIGHT NOW IF I WANT TO GO TO SAVANNAH IN THE FUTURE, I MAY HAVE TO GO
IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT, THAT TWO LANE ROAD HARDLY HAD ANYBODY ON DIRECTION.
UH, OTHER THAN ROB ANY OTHER FUTURE ITEMS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ON OUR LIST? THE NEXT FOLLOW UP PROBABLY BE THE TRANSIT STUDY.
YOU WANNA JUMP? SORRY, GO TO THE POINT DEMAND BE COUNTY CHANNEL AND STEVE S PRESENTATION.
WELL, UH, THAT I'M HAVE MOTION FOR ADJOURN.
DEAN TREP WORK FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SOUTHERN ENFORCEMENT DIVISION.
AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE NOW FOR A LITTLE OVER FOUR AND A HALF YEARS.
THIS BADGE PROPERTY, ONE TRAFFIC.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED ON HILLHEAD, WENT TO HILLHEAD HIGH SCHOOL AFTER THAT.
I WENT TO UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN BEAUFORT, GRADUATED WITH A SITE DEGREE.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, FROM THE AGE OF 14 TO 21, I WAS IN THE EXPLORERS PROGRAM HERE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PROS TO BEING BORN AND RAISED HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, AND WORKING FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE GEOGRAPHICALLY WHEN RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR SERVICE.
I KNOW THE AREA, LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND TIMES.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS DUE TO MAYBE ME GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH THEM OR ET CETERA.
UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, DUFORT COUNTY IS A SMALL COUNTY AND EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY.
EXCUSE GET, I'VE BEEN ON THE BLOODHOUND TEAM FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.
WE'LL RESPOND TO CALLS FOR MISSING ENDANGERED PERSONS, UH, ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE WALKED OFF.
WE WILL ALSO RESPOND TO ARMED ROBBERY CALLS AND WE ALSO WILL ASSIST OTHER AGENCIES IF NEEDED.
BEING ON A BLOODHOUND TEAM, I GET TO DO WHAT I LOVE, WORKING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEN ALSO BEING ABLE TO WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH HANDLING DOGS AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE.
AT TIMES LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN HAVE A LOT OF EXCITING MOMENTS, BUT WHAT'S NICE ABOUT OUR JOB IS THAT WE GET TO HELP PEOPLE SOMETIMES THAT ARE HAVING THEIR WORST DAYS.
YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS SITTING AROUND.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AT, AT A SPLIT SECOND.
THIS PAST PROBABLY THE ONE I'M SEEING.