Leadership Salkehatchie meets with legislators in D.C.

Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber of Commerce's Enterick Lee, Director of Programs, recently visited Washington, D.C. with the 2024 cohort of Leadership Salkehatchie to meet with legislators and discuss successes and concerns of the Salkehatchie region and advocate for positive change for the region.

This year, the class met in person with Senator Lindsey Graham and Representative James Clyburn. The group also met with staff members from Senator Tim Scott’s and Representative Joe Wilson’s offices. Read more about their visit below!

Excerpt

The 2024 cohort of Leadership Salkehatchie spent its final session meeting with legislators in Washington, D.C.   Shelby Broomfield, director of the USC Salkehatchie Leadership Institute, says the trip provided a chance for participants to reflect on topics discussed and lessons learned throughout the program.

“The Washington D.C. trip is always exciting and provides an opportunity for the group to share what is happening in the Salkehatchie region,” Broomfield said. “Sharing stories, best practices, the wins, and the challenges with colleagues from various parts of the region brings about a sense of pride, increases knowledge and builds relationships.  The Leadership Salkehatchie class conveyed successes and concerns they have for the region directly with our legislators, while advocating for positive change for the region. I am proud of the members of the class of 2024 for their dedication to the communities they serve and their courage to use their voices for the betterment of the Salkehatchie region.”

City of Charleston celebrates completion of its latest affordable housing project: James Lewis, Jr. Apartments

Reprinted from Lowcountry Biz SC

Today, the City of Charleston proudly celebrated the ribbon cutting ceremony for the James Lewis, Jr. Apartments located at 89 Hanover Street. The completion of this project is a significant milestone for affordable housing solutions within the community.

Former City Councilman James Lewis, Jr. alongside Mayor William S. Cogswell cut the ribbon to signify the completion of the affordable housing project. With an $11 million investment from the City of Charleston, which includes Affordable Housing Bond funds, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds, and the value of the land, the James Lewis, Jr. Apartments offer 64 affordable rental homes for individuals earning sixty percent or below the Area Median Income.

Greenville uses new law to tap $1M in tourism taxes for workforce housing at Unity Park

Reprinted from The Post & Courier

GREENVILLE — More land near Unity Park has been reserved for affordable housing, with City Council using a new law to dip into its tourism revenues for the first time.

The council gave initial approval April 8 to appropriate nearly $1 million to buy church property for what is known as “workforce housing” at the intersection of West Washington and Trescott streets close to the Greenville Amtrak station in the Southernside community.

The purchase will be funded with local accommodations tax dollars, which are collected on lodging and weren’t allowed to be used for housing until a change in state law last year.

The land is currently occupied by the Holy Temple Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, a white, one-story building surrounded by a chain-link fence. After the purchase, the land would touch another property already owned by the city, creating a rectangular, roughly 0.9-acre site for development.

City Councilwoman Dorothy Dowe told The Post and Courier the city’s ownership of this property is vital.

“Just like the other Unity Park parcels, the land is free because we own it, so that’s a huge part of the cost,” he said.

Now, it will be reserved for workforce housing, which the new state law defines as 30 to 120 percent of the median family income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In Greenville, the median income is $88,600 for a family of four, while 30 percent is $26,580 per year and 120 percent $106,320 per year. Workforce housing commonly applies to workers like teachers, firefighters and hospitality workers.

Restitching community fabric: N. Charleston groups work to protect neighborhoods

Reprinted from Live 5 News

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Nonprofit organizations in North Charleston are working to prevent marginalized residents from being pushed out of the communities they call home.

Henrietta Woodward grew up in Union Heights, one of the earliest predominantly African American communities established in 1910 and annexed into the City of North Charleston in 1997.

“We had laundromats, there was a theater, a drugstore. We had mom-and-pop stores, kindergartens,” Woodward says. “Economic development was real. For our communities, it was vibrant, and it really felt we didn’t have to go out of our communities if we had a need.”

Years later, community members feel a disconnect from its roots because of the development built around them.

“Growing up, we could just walk right through the community, but this caused a real split in our communities being disconnected,” Woodward says. “People need housing desperately. And what we can provide is housing to those individuals that are low income.”

“We used to have a parade around here. A lot of people around here owned houses, owned stores, so many churches around here,” Neighbor Richard Logan says.

The change is what pushes Woodward and others who grew up in these neighborhoods to restitch its social and physical fabric.

“What I see sometimes is a community of empathy where services are not there for them, not the services, a lot of times, they need. We need to empower the people that live and have been living in those communities,” Woodward says.

Scotty Davis named Florence interim city manager

Reprinted from ABC News 15

FLORENCE, S.C. (WPDE) — Scotty Davis has been named the interim Florence city manager.

Davis has been placed in the position following the resignation of Randy Osterman, who retired earlier this week.

Davis has worked for the city for the past 26 years being promoted to various positions, including deputy city manager.

He said he's excited that he'll be able to continue to move Florence forward in his new position.

"I've worked for the city for 26 years now. I was the deputy city manager for about 7 years now. So this is a natural progression. And now, I'm becoming the city manager. I'm certainly thankful that I am able to serve the citizens of Florence in this capacity," said Davis.

Commentary: SC community development tax credit helps investors help communities

Metanoia CEO Bill Stanfield

Reprinted from The Post & Courier

The recently unveiled Charleston County Housing Our Future plan provided the sobering statistic that only 15% of households in Charleston County can afford the current median home sale price of $538,000 in the county. That’s bad news for 85% of us. The statistic underscores how even as our region is booming, many are being left behind.

What if there were a tool that would incentivize those who are doing well to create opportunities for others to do better in their own backyard?

The great news for residents of South Carolina is that there is such a tool. The S.C. community development tax credit provides an opportunity for those who are doing well  to reduce their state tax liability by providing gifts and investments to certified community development organizations across our state.

Deborah McKetty inducted into Greenville Business Magazine's Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Greenville Business Magazine
Deborah McKetty, President of South Carolina Community Loan Fund (SCCLF), was recently inducted into Greenville Business Magazine's Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

McKetty has more than 30 years’ experience working in the community economic development field as a banker and nonprofit leader. She has served in leadership roles in several local, state, and regional organizations, including United Way of Greenville County, Greenville Chamber Board of Advisors, CommunityWorks Carolina, Greenville Housing Fund, SCACED, SC Community Capital Alliance, Richmond FED Community Investment Community, and the Self-Help Credit Union Board. 

Metanoia SC: Jefferson Award recipient generates positive change in North Charleston

ABC News 4

CHARLESTON S.C. (WCIV) — Wonderful things can happen when a community comes together.

Lowcountry non-profit, Metanoia SC, is listening to the people who live in North Charleston's Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood.

Over the past 20 years, Metanoia has been implementing programs to meet residents' needs to generate positive changes.

Shawn Saulsberry is the Board Chair of Metanoia.

"It's a huge responsibility because Metanoia is literally serving the area that I grew up in," Saulsberry said.

Saulsberry remembers growing up in what's known as "Charleston Heights," or the "Heights" in North Charleston.