Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust reports loans, home‑repair demand; Hilton Head approves IGA amendment

Claude Hicks, representing the Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust, told Hilton Head Island Town Council on June 3 that the trust’s first year of operations included grant awards, a major loan for senior housing and strong demand for home repair assistance.

Hicks said the trust awarded grants to eight organizations from 14 applications and made a $500,000 loan to a new 64‑unit senior housing development in Beaufort County that is expected to begin move‑ins around August–September. He said home repairs represent the largest ongoing demand: "Home repairs is the number 1 issue, and all of our grantees... have waiting lists," Hicks said.

Hicks described broader regional trends and the trust’s priorities: creating workforce and affordable housing, preserving existing housing, and first‑time homebuyer assistance. He said the trust funded 17 new homeowners during a period of high interest rates and that it is seeking eligibility to access the South Carolina Housing Trust Fund for home repairs because the trust is the only qualified entity in Beaufort‑Jasper to access those state funds.

Hicks also announced a solutions forum, "Blueprint for Change," set for Sept. 24 and said the trust plans outreach, a land‑donation process and a phased funding approach. He said the trust had requested $7,000,000 in state earmarks but that the state withdrew earmarks for the legislative session.

Council action: amendment to intergovernmental agreement After an executive session, council voted to approve a resolution authorizing the town to execute and deliver an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement among Beaufort County, Jasper County, the City of Beaufort, the City of Hardeeville, the Town of Port Royal, the Town of Bluffton and the Town of Hilton Head Island regarding the Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust. The motion was made and approved 7‑0.

Why it matters The trust coordinates regional affordable and workforce housing efforts across Beaufort and Jasper counties. Town officials said the amendment will update the town’s formal participation in the trust and allow the town to continue working with the multi‑jurisdictional entity to direct grant dollars, preserve units and support new construction and home‑repair programs.

Selected details Hicks provided - Loan: $500,000 loan to a new 64‑unit senior housing project in Beaufort County; occupancy expected after construction completion around August–September. - Grants: 14 applications received; eight awards made; several grantees with service areas that include Hilton Head Island. - Home repair: highest ongoing demand; grant recipients reported waiting lists and near‑exhaustion of allocated funds. - Homeownership assistance: 17 new homeowners assisted via first‑time homebuyer programs in the trust’s first year. - Policy and outreach: the trust is developing a land‑donation process, outreach and advocacy committee and a Sept. 24 solutions forum; seeking access to the South Carolina Housing Trust Fund.

Public and council questions during the presentation asked what specific steps the town could take to help the trust, noted issues such as heirs’ property, and sought clarity on geographic service areas. Hicks urged local dialogue and said the trust is open to locally tailored approaches for Hilton Head Island.

Provenance: Hicks’s presentation runs from about 00:16:21 through 00:26:43 of the meeting transcript; the council vote authorizing the intergovernmental‑agreement amendment appears in executive session at about 04:07:25 and was adopted 7‑0.

Ending: With council approval of the IGA amendment, town staff and trust representatives said they plan to continue coordinating grant cycles, pursue state trust‑fund access and bring implementation details back to council as programs and funding become available.