[I. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:09] THE JUNE 5TH 2025 AT 10 A.M. AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING IS NOW IN ORDER ROLL CALL PLEASE DOUG MCGILL COUNCILMEN COUNCILWOMAN EMILY BOURDON HERE CHAIRMAN FRED HAMILTON YEAH. MEG HERE VERONICA NAVARRO HERE . WAYNE CHAMBERS YOU'RE THE MOST POLITE TYPES RIGHT? SO BACK TO YOU. [III. ADOPTION OF MINUTES] YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN OUR MINUTES FROM MAY 1ST THE MOTION TO ACCEPT SO MOVE I'M ALL IN FAVOR I I HAVE IT ON WE ARE ALSO OPEN NOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ALL RIGHT WE DO HAVE A FEW VISITORS [IV. PUBLIC COMMENT] IN THIS THING. I'M NOT SURE WHO WANTS TO COME TO THE PODIUM ONCE OR WANT TO SAY SOMETHING AND DO RECORD. ALL RIGHT. WE JUST ASKED YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME INTO, THE MICROPHONE RECORD AND IT'S ALL YOURS. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS LISA RICCARDI. I'M THE MANAGER AT THE OWL APARTMENTS OFF OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY. I MOVED HERE TEN MONTHS AGO TO ASSIST MY COMPANY WITH THIS OPENING AND I JUST WANT TO SAY LOVE YOUR TOWN. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WARM WELCOME. YOU EVER. AND I'M SUMMER NICHOLS FORMERLY OF YOU RIVERSIDE. NOW WE'RE BASED ON YOUR RIVERSIDE SINCE OUR PURCHASE ABOUT LISA WITH ME SO SHE CAN KIND OF HEAR ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE HAVE TEN WORKFORCE UNITS THAT WE CURRENTLY LEASE AT OUR COMMUNITY THANK YOU THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. QUESTION WHEN YOU HAVE VACANCIES, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT'S OPENLY SHARED WITH THE TOWN SO WE CAN WE HAVE A WAITLIST ABOUT TEN PEOPLE LONG SO WE JUST GO STRAIGHT THROUGH THE WAITLIST IF GET PANICKY AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO FILL WE CONTACT VICTORIA AND SHE'S ABLE TO HELP US WITH THAT AS WELL. OKAY VERY GOOD. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THAT MEANS A LOT. LET US KNOW THAT THIS SYSTEM IS WORKING. YEAH I BOTHER SOMEWHERE ON A EVERY OTHER MONTH BASIS CHECKING ON A WAITING LIST SO YEAH WE ARE COVERED THERE IF SHE'S EVER HAVING A SHORTAGE JUST LET ME KNOW AND JUST FOR THE RECORD I DO WANT TO SAY TO KNOW THIS POLITE HAS JOINED US IN THE TEAM'S CHAT MR. CAN YOU HEAR US? YOU SOUND ON MY END MUTE FROM HER DOG COMING IN MR. ALL IS CAN YOU HEAR US? I CAN HEAR YOU OKAY. GOOD GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. RIGHT IN TWO OF THOSE BEHIND YOU MR. MARK IS ON AGENDA AND THEN SOPHIA IS FROM THE WORLD PARENTS I HAVE A MEETING WITH HER AFTER OUR MEETING BEFORE MEMORIAL WELL TERRACE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT SO SHE'S WAITING ON ME SHE'S WAITING ON ME AND FOR OUR RECORD WE HAVE MR. MCGILL HAS JOINED US GOOD MORNING MR. MCGILL MORNING. ALL RIGHT, SO EVERYONE IS HERE AND ACCOUNTED FOR. THANK YOU FOR A FULL THIS MORNING AND CHAIRMAN I'LL PASS IT BACK TO YOU OKAY NEW BUSINESS ALL BUSINESS IN ANY OTHER BUSINESS. [VI.1. FY25 Neighborhood Assistance Program Budget Update] ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT. ALL RIGHT. AS ALWAYS, WE ARE CURRENTLY AT THE END OUR FISCAL YEAR FISCAL PACKET CLOSED THE END OF MAY SO WE HAVE ENDED FISCAL YEAR 2025 WE HAVE ENDED IT WITH A BANG AS ALWAYS THE BUDGET FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 WAS APPROVED AT 400,000 BY TOWN COUNCIL IN ADDITIONAL 144 WAS ADDED TO THE BUDGET BY A GRANT AWARDED TO THE PROGRAM BY THE JASPER HOUSING TRUST AND THAT BROUGHT OUR OVERALL TO $544,000. 35 HOMES HAVE RECEIVED HOME REPAIRS AT A TOTAL OF 342,000 FOR 64 AND TWO JOBS ARE CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED FOR 11,201 HOME WAS DEMOLISHED DURING HURRICANE AILEEN. WE WERE DESTROYED BY HURRICANE AILEEN AND WE DEMOLISHED THE REST OF THE BUILDING FOR 4201 HOME REQUESTED A ROLL AWAY TRASH BIN FOR PROPERTY CLEANUP FOR A TOTAL OF 644 SEVEN HOMES HAVE BEEN SERVICEABLE SEPTIC HOUSE OR PLUMBING SERVICES AND A TOTAL OF 3000 463 FOUR HOMES HAVE BEEN SERVICED BY TREE [00:05:05] SERVICE ADDING A TOTAL OF 1035 TWO JOBS ARE ENCUMBERED 1380 SO THAT BROUGHT OUR OVERALL HOME RESIDENTS PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE SERVICE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 TO 48 SO SOME OF THOSE WERE REPEAT JOBS. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR ROOFING HAVE TO GO BACK IN THE INTERIOR. YOU HAD TO DO SOME PLUMBING. SO OVERALL THERE'S NOT 48 HOMES TODAY THAT'S 48 JOBS THAT WE HAVE FOR A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS TO STAY SAFE AND DRY IN THEIR SO THAT IS A PLUS FOR US. LIKE I SAID 2025 WAS GOOD 2026 FISCAL YEAR WILL START JULY 1ST AND WE HAVE THREE APPLICATIONS ALREADY. SO WE ARE WE ARE DOING GREAT. SO HATS OFF TO YOU GUYS FOR THE PROGRAM AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT ROLLING AS OF MAY 29TH TEN HOMES ARE CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON. I WAS IN COMING IN TO WORK TODAY AND ADDRESS WHERE I LIVE NEAR WHERE I LIVE TRUMP WAS BACK IN IN TO GET THEIR ROOF FIXED SO THE RAIN DID NOT STOP WORK AND I JUST KIND OF TO THE HORN BECAUSE I'M GETTING THAT DONE SO IT'S BEEN SO I JUST KIND OF DO THE LORD THANK FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING OVER THERE THOUGH TEN HOMES ARE CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON THE TOWN HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH SAVE THE SHUTTERS. ONE HOME IS BEING WORKED ON AND A SECOND IS STILL WAITING FOR REPAIRS TO BEGIN SO WE'VE SAVED THE SHUTTERS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR NOT FISCAL 2025 BUT ALL TOGETHER SINCE THE SHUTTERS STARTED WE HAVE DONE FOUR HOMES WITH THEM AND IT COULD POSSIBLY BE FIVE SO THAT'S A PLUS AS WELL ARE THE NONPROFIT AGENCIES THAT HAVE PARTNERED WITH SAVE THE SHUTTERS HAVE DONE FIVE FOR US SO FAR SO I BELIEVE THAT IS A GREAT THING AS WELL THAT WE HAVE TEAM WITH THEM AND AS YOU KNOW SAVE THE SHUTTERS STARTED WITH ONE HOME AND WE KIND OF LET'S WORK TOGETHER THINGS THAT YOU GUYS CAN'T COVER ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SHUTTERS COMES IN IT HELPS AND WE JUST KIND OF TAGGED FOR THE NOT TO SAY BIGGER JOBS BUT JOBS THAT THEY CAN KIND OF GET MORE IN-DEPTH WITH WITH US. SO THAT'S THAT ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MEMO NO QUESTIONS MEMO AS ALWAYS I BRING YOU THE SHEET SO YOU CAN SEE ALMOST TAKE THAT DOWN SO YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WE ARE AND WHERE FUNDS HAVE GONE YOU SLIDE IT OVER FOR YOU AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE'S THE 48 HOMES AVAILABLE BUDGET LEFT OVER IS WHAT WE THERE AND YEAH WE GREAT I, I THINK IT'S ALL RIGHT SO HOW DO YOU THINK IT TO LAST YEAR SO I AM WORKING ON THAT BECAUSE KEVIN WANTED TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN SAY PRICES AND INVOICES THINGS LIKE THAT SO I'M WORKING TO PUT THAT TOGETHER SO I HAVE THAT FOR YOU AT OUR NEXT MEETING BECAUSE I WANT TO GO BACK TO A COUPLE OF YEARS SO WE CAN SEE WHAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND DO A PRICE TAG BETWEEN MOBILE HOMES AND BUILT. SO I'LL HAVE THAT FOR YOU FOR NEXT MONTH. THAT'S IT. SOME LITTLE NOTES FRIDAY, JUNE SEVENTH I JUST NEED TO GET A COUNT OF EVERYONE IS STILL AVAILABLE TO THAT'S THE CHARLIE TAYLOR OVER IN SAVANNAH WE WILL IT STARTS AT 830 AND IS OVER AT 12 NOW WE CAN TAKE SPARKLE WILL WE OUR LITTLE TOWN CLERK SPARKLE IT'S A FORD ESCAPE THAT CAN HOLD FIVE OR IS ANYONE WANTS TO JUST DRIVE YOU WANT TO CARPOOL JUST KIND OF LET ME KNOW KIND OF GET A HEADS UP IF EVERYONE'S GOING TO RIDE TOGETHER OR WE'LL DO SEPARATE. WE GOT SOME TIME BUT JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR. I THINK EVERYONE IS DOWN TO GO EXCEPT MR. NOT LIVE BECAUSE SHE CAN'T GET OUT AT THE BANK. I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GO. I KNOW I WAS A MAYBE YOU WERE YOU WERE ON THE FENCE. OKAY. I'M NOT I WILL HAVE TO GO DO IT ON MY MONDAY. GOTCHA. SO THAT IS THAT AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET THERE LIKE I SAID, IF YOU WANT TO CARPOOL JUST LET ME KNOW OUR APPLIANCE PICK UP PROGRAM OR EVENT IS GOING TO BE MONDAY. WE HAVE SIX FAMILIES SIGNED UP BETWEEN PARK ISLAND, SMITHVILLE AND. A COUPLE OTHERS ARE SIDE STREETS THAT WE SERVICE SO I'VE ALREADY SPOKE WITH LARRY BECKLER OVER AT PUBLIC WORKS AND RECYCLING CENTER OVER IN HARTSVILLE WHERE THINGS ARE GOING TO GET DROPPED OFF SO HAVE SIX SET FOR THAT FOR MONDAY SO THAT'S GOOD THAT'S A GOOD START FOR THAT FIRST PROGRAM AND I THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS. I DO NOT HAVE A VIDEO OF THE [VII.1. The May Update] MEETING. I DO APOLOGIZE. I HAVE BEEN BUSY SO I DID GO OUT TO GET A VIDEO OF THE MAIN BUT I DID BRING MY WALKING PRESENTER MARK MAXWELL SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MARK. SHE'S GOING TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE GROUP MYSELF, MARK, AMANDA, MATT LYLE BACK IN APRIL THE END OF APRIL. SO MARK IS GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE ME I'M MARK MAXWELL, MY SPECIAL PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND KIND OF KEEPING AN EYE ON THE CONSTRUCTION OVER AT THE MAY AND SO YOU PROBABLY NOTICED THE CONSTRUCTION HAS STARTED I BELIEVE THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE WERE WAITING ON THAT TO HAPPEN. [00:10:02] IT'S UNDERWAY. THE ROUGH GRADING IS IS COMPLETE FOR THE MOST PART FOR THE PARKING ROADWAYS. SO THE NEXT THING THEY'LL START WORKING ON ARE THE BUILDING PADS AND KIND OF ROUGHING IN STORM WATER. THE CONTRACTOR PLANS ON STARTING THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES NEXT WEEK THAT'S THE WATER AND SEWER THEY HAVE THEIR PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING ON WITH JASPER SO THEY WILL START PUTTING STUFF IN THE GROUND AFTER THAT. THEY ANTICIPATE BEING DONE WITH THAT IN OCTOBER AND SO IN OCTOBER THEY'LL START THE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION WITH THE COMPLETION DATE. RIGHT NOW THE TARGET IS THE QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR FOR MOVING AND AS VICKI HAD MENTIONED WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE BANK AND THE DEVELOPER AND JUST KIND OF GETTING THE GAME PLAN TOGETHER AS TO TO GET RESIDENTS SIGNED UP FOR THIS BECAUSE OF THE VOLATILITY OF THE MARKET OR THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS, THEY'LL START THE PROCESS OF PRE QUALIFYING BUYERS CLOSER TO THE END OF THE YEAR WHAT THEY'RE TO DO IS TO SHORTEN THE WINDOW BETWEEN THE COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION AND THE ISSUING OF THE MORTGAGES. SO THE TIMING KIND OF BASED ON THE COMPLETION DATE SO THINGS MOVING FORWARD THEY'RE HAPPENING QUICKLY TO ME I WAS IMPRESSED THAT HE SAID HE WOULD BE DONE WITH CONSTRUCTION SOMETIME IN THE FIRST QUARTER BUT HE ASSURED ME YESTERDAY THAT HE'S STILL ON SCHEDULE TO MEET THAT DATE. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. ARE SOLICITING POTENTIAL RESIDENTS FOR THIS WE GET CALLS ON A WEEKLY BASIS SO WE THE TOWN AND NOT TAKING THE APPLICATION APPLICATIONS ARE GOING IS GOING THROUGH COASTAL STATE BANK SO I'M JUST JOTTING DOWN NAMES WHO ARE WHAT CALLS I TAKE THEIR NAME INFORMATION AND THEN I'M GOING TO PASS THEM ON TO BOTH THE STATE BANKS THE GUY THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH I'LL MAKE TODAY'S MEETING SO HE'LL BE ON OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH SO HE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION BUT WE ARE NOT APPLICATIONS BUT I AM TAKING NAMES AND ADDRESSES FOR THOSE THAT ARE WELCOME, THOSE THAT ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO QUALIFY AND SEE WHERE CAN GO FROM THERE. BUT IT'S JUST RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST DROPPING DOWN NAMES THAT WE DON'T HAVE KNOW PAPER OR PENCIL TO GO EXACTLY WHERE WE NEED TO GO SO NOW I'M JUST TAKING NAMES. YEAH, I WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT FUTURE HOME OF DESIGN BUT IT'S A NO NOT YET. IT'S TOO EARLY FOR THAT. THEY WANT TO WAIT. YEAH, I WANT TO PUT A FUTURE HOME SIGN RIGHT THERE IN FRONT BUT IT'S TOO EARLY FOR THAT BECAUSE AS SOON AS WE DO THAT AND CALL TO BE READY. YEAH, YEAH IT'S A LITTLE LATE. WE GET CLOSER TO TIME. WHAT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MARK. SO THAT'S A PLUS. WE'LL HAVE A GOOD CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR OURSELF BEGINNING OF THE YEAR GIFT FOR OURSELVES IN THE TOWN AND AGAIN THAT'S ALL I HAVE. WE DO HAVE ONE. DO YOU WANT TO OH NO, NO, THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S IT FOR ME. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS? LET'S DO THAT PART. I'VE GOT A NOTE FOR ALAN WOLFE. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE HIM COME BACK? YES, I REACHED OUT TO CALI. WELL, I SENT THEM AN EMAIL IN A BOUNCE BACK SO I AM TRYING TO SET SOMETHING UP WITH HER. IT MIGHT NOT BE IT MIGHT BE PARTLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY WORK TOGETHER. THAT'S HIS PARTNER SO SHE'S TRYING TO GET HER SCHEDULE TOGETHER FOR ME. YEAH SO I AM WORKING THAT EVERYBODY IS QUIET QUIET. EVERYBODY IS QUIET RIGHT. YEAH. DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND MR. IF I HAD YOUR MUSIC AND I HOPE YOU'RE TIRED OF LISTENING BUT NO I DO NOT I LISTENING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. I GOT SOMEWHAT OF A UPDATE ON SOME UPCOMING POSSIBILITIES FOR FOR US. WE ARE LOOKING INTERNALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK THROUGH THE NEXT STEP AT THIS. WE'VE HAD A BUDGET WORKSHOP AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR HOW DEPARTMENT CAN ACTUALLY FUNCTION. THAT INCLUDES STAFFING AS WELL AS JOB DESCRIPTIONS OR WHAT IT COULD ENTAIL AND HOW IT COULD BE EFFECTIVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY . SO WE WOULD LOVE FOR THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE SOME THOUGHTS TO THE PROCESS AND AND WE WILL TRY TO INCORPORATE THAT AS AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS THROUGH THESE INITIATIVES SO FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME OR LET VICTORIA AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AT LEAST HAVE BEEN HEAVILY CONSIDERED. THERE'S QUITE A FEW THINGS I THINK THAT WE COULD DO DIFFERENT. FOR ONE EXAMPLE THESE YOUNG LADIES THEY CAME HERE TODAY AND THE REASON WHY THEY HAVE THIS [00:15:10] FOUR IS TEN UNITS BECAUSE OUR STUDIO AT THE TIME REQUIRED DEVELOPERS TO PROVIDE AT ONE POINT IT WAS 10%. NOW IT'S 20%. SO WE NEED WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK WE NEED ALL EYES ON PROJECTS WE MISSED SOME OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PAST WHEN UNITS CAME INTO THE TOWN AND DIDN'T QUITE GET THE MEMO THAT WE NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE HAVE ALL HANDS ON DECK FROM NOW ON AND WE CAN ALSO SEE PROJECTS LIKE THE FROM FROM IS THE EXCEPTION TO THE END AND MAKE SURE THAT IT STAYS ON TRACK. WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE US FOR AN EXAMPLE WE HAVE ANOTHER DEVELOPER THAT'S A PRIVATE DEVELOPER IS USING HIS HIS PRETTY MUCH HIS FUNDS TO TO DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THAT WAS BECAUSE OF A RELATIONSHIP THAT I EXPOSED SO THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE COMMITTEE COULD HAVE HANDS AND EYES ON AT ALL TIMES AND PURSUE THOSE TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES ON A DAILY BASIS. IF I DIDN'T HAVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAPPEN SO I'D LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN ON IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE HOPEFULLY WE COULD GET THIS UP AND RUNNING BUT BUT BUT WHILE WE IN THE MEMPHIS STAGE WE LIKE INPUT OKAY ALL RIGHT THANK NOT TO DO THE HORN BUT I CAN SEE IT HAPPENING. THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT COULD BE DONE AND I THINK WE COULD AS A TEAM GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON THE TEAM GET RIGHT PEOPLE ON BOARD AND WE COULD HAVE MORE THAN THE GOAL THAT WE'RE PUTTING UP SO WE REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THE LITTLE LIKE KIND OF STRATEGIC PLANNING ALMOST MEETING WHERE WE DO WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT AND I WAS GOING TO BRING THAT UP TO WE COULD DO LIKE A LITTLE WORKSHOP TO START BRAINSTORMING THINKING ABOUT WHERE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SEE OR I LIKE IDEA RIGHT WHY WE'RE ALL HERE WOULD YOU LIKE THAT FOR JULY TURN JULY MEETING INTO A WORKSHOP AND THEN WORK ALL RIGHT, WE WILL GET IT DONE. WE GET IT ON SCHEDULE NOW KEEP IN MIND OUR JULY 4TH MEETING IS CANCELED DUE TO 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY WE MAY NOT GET ON JULY 10TH. OKAY. WE WILL WORK ON AND GET IT DONE AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS FOR TODAY. QUICK 1718 MINUTES. WHAT? ALL GOOD. ALL RIGHT THAT'S IT. ENJOY THE WEEKEND. I HOPE IT'S NOT TOO AND YOU GUYS ENJOY DOING AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE D * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.