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CDC details Stony Community Impact Grant and budget priorities; at least six households identified
Summary
The CDC presented a budget update and described a Stony Community Impact Grant to address impacts from past highway projects (grading, drainage, emissions and noise); Thomas said at least six families are identified and that initial mitigation work could begin within 60–90 days.
The Community Development Corporation reviewed fiscal-year spending priorities and outlined a Stony Community Impact Grant intended to address harms from prior highway projects in the Stony neighborhood.
Gordon Thomas told the board that budget spending so far has been limited to salaries and small operating costs, and that the CDC has set aside funds for professional services and a contingency for the Stony Improvement grant. "A general contingency ... is not money that has been spent," he said, explaining the cushion is to ensure the CDC can respond if initial budgets run short.
On the Stony grant, Thomas said the CDC has identified at least six families for initial support and that immediate mitigation measures — such as emissions and noise mitigation and small civil repairs — could be implemented within 60–90 days. "What we thought would be a good move forward immediately would be to work with the Stony community members ... on immediate needs that won't be impacted by the future civil work," he said.
Board members noted the Stony initiative plan from 2003 remains relevant but that prior implementation stalled because of limited political will and a lack of technical capacity among heirs-property owners. Members urged the CDC to use grant funds both to provide near-term fixes and to bring technical expertise (heirs-property research, appraisals and civil planning) to families that want either to maintain homesteads or explore redevelopment.
Thomas said the CDC is pursuing partnerships, including conversations with TD Bank and the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry for donor and grant support. He said staff will work with procurement to assemble an application package for families and to move quickly on near-term mitigation.
No formal funding vote or award was taken at the meeting; the board requested staff return with implementation details and contact needs to support outreach and technical assistance.
