Beaufort‑Jasper Housing Trust reports nearly $2M in grants, warns of tight affordability

Claude Hicks (speaker 1), representing the Beaufort‑Jasper Housing Trust, told SoLoCo the regional nonprofit awarded almost $2,000,000 in grants in December to support housing projects and continued that housing remains central to local economic growth. "Without housing, there is no economic growth," Hicks said, and he warned that local rents are straining households — he cited approximate rents of $3,000 for a three‑bedroom, $2,500 for two‑bedrooms and $2,000 for one‑bedrooms.

Hicks also relayed national and regional data: he told the board the country is currently short about 8.2 million housing units and could reach a 10‑million‑unit shortfall by 2035. He said the Trust is now a 501(c)(3) and has secured state program qualifications that allow the group to seek home‑repair and remediation funding for pre‑1978 housing stock. Hicks urged municipalities to consider incentives and to reduce prohibitive costs—particularly water and sewer expenses—that make projects financially unworkable in the region.

Board members asked how regional data are aggregated, noting the Hilton Head MSA skews averages; Hicks said the Trust differentiates where possible and pointed to Hardeeville as a successful local case study. Public participant Carlton Dallas asked about foreign investment; Hicks explained most international investment in housing arrives through syndicators and tax‑credit vehicles.

Next steps: Hicks offered to present the Hardeeville model in more detail at a future SoLoCo meeting to illustrate partnerships that brought projects to fruition.