R3: A Bluffton Neighborhood Services Program

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R3 A Bluffton Neighborhood Services
Program R1 Remove R2 Renovate R3 Rejuvenate
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• Definitions
• Area Median Income (AMI)- The estimated average
  income for a particular area. Beaufort Countys
  AMI is 63,000.
• Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI)-households ranging
  between 50-80 of the AMI.
• Affordable Housing-housing for which the
  occupants are paying no more than 30 percent of
  their income for gross housing costs, including
  utilities housing targeted to LMI households
  35,300 to 50,400 for a four person family in
  Beaufort County.
• Workforce Housing-housing targeted to households
  between 80-100 AMI 50,400 to 63,000 for a
  four person family in Beaufort County.

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• R3 A Bluffton Neighborhood
• Services Program
• R1 Remove
• R2 Renovate
• R3 Rejuvenate

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• Create a Neighborhood Organization Program

• To ensure neighborhood stability through
  information sharing and public participation in
  the municipal decision making process to involve
  citizens in local governmental planning and
  decision-making as it affects the development of
  their neighborhoods.

• This program formalizes the communication and
  notification processes and also clearly defines
  the geographic boundaries of our neighborhoods.

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• Town Functions and Responsibilities
• Neighborhood organizations are notified of all
  proposed rezoning, subdivision, initial master
  plans, conditional use permit and annexations
  contiguous to the neighborhood within five days
  after receipt of applications.
• Neighborhood organizations are notified of all
  seriously contemplated Town changes that would
  impact traffic, beautification, pathways and
  other quality of life issues within their
  neighborhood.

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• Neighborhood Functions and Responsibilities

• Serve in an advisory capacity to Town Council and
  its Commissions on matters affecting the growth
  and development of their neighborhoods
• Become familiar with and be an active partner in
  the Town's comprehensive planning process
• Become informed of neighborhood needs and
  maintain communication with members of the
  neighborhood, elected officials and Town
  administration on all plans and proposals
  affecting their area
• Develop neighborhood plans with respect to land
  use, zoning, parks, open space, recreation,
  housing, community facilities, transportation and
  traffic, annexation and other factors affecting
  the livability of their neighborhoods
• Request funding for neighborhood projects

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• Neighborhood Organization Grants
• Neighborhood grants would be available for
  neighborhood improvement projects that would
  enhance their community.
• Eligible projects might include newsletters,
  neighborhood watch programs, temporary
  announcement signs, neighborhood plans,
  neighborhood beautification, neighborhood
  clean-ups, playground improvements, etc. The
  maximum grant amount is 2,500.

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• R3 A Bluffton Neighborhood
• Services Program
• R1 Remove
• R2 Renovate
• R3 Rejuvenate

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• Free Paint The Town can provide up to 500
  worth of painting materials to any resident
  wishing to improve the exterior of their property
  with a fresh coat of paint.
• Septic Maintenance The Town can provide grants
  up to 1,000 for LMI homeowners to assist with
  the maintenance, repair or replacement of
  substandard, failed or failing septic systems.
• Home Inspections The Town can reimburse up to
  300 for home inspections for LMI residents. The
  inspectors must be approved by the Town prior to
  inspection.

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• Mortgage Assistance The Town can help lower
  monthly mortgage payments for LMI residents by
  buying-down interest rates, up to 2.
• Owner Occupied Rehabilitation The Town will
  provide financial assistance up to 7,500 to
  address code violations and major repairs to
  single family homes.
• SC Safe Home Program The Town will provide
  matching assistance for residents to take
  advantage of this program that provides up to
  5,000 to retrofit single family homes to
  hurricane standards.

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• Down Payment Assistance The Town can provide up
  to 3,000 towards closing costs for police
  officers, firefighters, teachers, service
  employees, and other citizens that make less than
  80 AMI.
• Elderly Transportable (ET) Cottages The Town
  can finance this affordable housing alternative
  that allows local residents safe and adequate
  housing on their own property.
• Heirs Property Assistance The Town can pay for
  mediation services and legal fees to help
  residents gain clean title of their family-owned
  property.

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• R3 A Bluffton Neighborhood
• Services Program
• R1 Remove
• R2 Renovate
• R3 Rejuvenate

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• Remove Unsafe Conditions
• Trash Removal Assistance - provide a one-time
  payment assistance up to 2,500 for LMI residents
  to remove accumulations of campers, furniture,
  tires, boats, white goods, household hazardous
  materials, significant landscaping debris and
  other unsanitary materials from Bluffton
  properties.
• Demolition Assistance - provide up to 5,000 in
  assistance with the demolition of unsafe,
  abandoned or uninhabitable structure to LMI
  residents.
• Removal of Junk Cars - provide assistance to LMI
  residents to remove abandoned and unsafe
  vehicles.

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Elderly Transportable Cottage Program

• UMRC
• United Methodist Relief Center
• Building Homes for Today and
• Hope for Tomorrow

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Elderly Transportable (ET) Cottages

• ET houses are stick built on recycled mobile home
  frames and meet or exceed all applicable building
  codes (CABO). They are wheelchair accessible and
  include one bedroom, one bathroom with roll-in
  shower, a kitchen/living room combination, and a
  front porch.
• The UMRC maintains ownership of the houses, which
  are provided to recipients rent-free. The ET
  house is moved to the recipients property, set
  up, tied down, and connected to the necessary
  utilities. When the recipient is no longer able
  to live alone or dies, the ET house is
  refurbished and relocated to serve another
  elderly person.

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A Unique Solution ET Cottages

• ET houses are cost effective- roughly 33,000 per
  unit including all construction costs, permits,
  and site preparation
• ET houses provide safe housing for truly needy
  elderly persons living in dire circumstances
• Recycling of ET houses ensures prudent use of
  funds- houses can be recycled five or six times,
  making them very cost effective
• ET houses replace blighted structures, improving
  the appearance and providing for safer conditions
  in a neighborhood

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A Unique Solution ET Cottages
ET houses are placed on a recipients own
property, eliminating the need to relocate
elderly persons off their property and out of
their neighborhood ET houses meet the urgent
need of the elderly without benefiting extended
family members who may not warrant services ET
houses can be constructed on parking lots or
vacant land in highly visible locations,
attracting more community involvement and
increasing awareness.
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ET Cottage Under Construction
Volunteer Labor by the Community
Stick Built on Mobile Home Frames
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Cost of Constructing an ET Cottage
Construction Administration 3,500 Frame
Preparation 3,000 Building Materials 15,000 Plu
mbing 3,300 Electrical 3,000 Cabinets 1,5
00 Appliances 2,500 Insulation 650 Floor
Covering 1,250
Total Cost 33,000
Additional Costs Transporting, wells and septic
system, foundation, and set-up with an estimated
cost of 4,000-8,000.