NORTH CHARLESTON – City Council has stalled plans to donate city-owned land on Robertson Boulevard in Oak Grove to a nonprofit that wants to build affordable housing.
Instead, the city is creating a policy to make sure construction projects on city-provided plots get to the finish line.
“We don’t want to give you something and then have no way of holding you accountable,” Mayor Reggie Burgess said.
With the policy in place, any organization looking to secure property from the city, whether it’s a small business, entrepreneur, nonprofit or developer, would have to sign a contract stating it has secured finances and created a timeline to adhere to.
The contract will include a reverter clause that allows the city to take back the land after a certain period of time if the project is not completed.
The city owns nearly 20 vacant lots in areas desperate for more affordable housing options, said Burgess as he stood at the Robertson Boulevard property Oct. 14. The Oak Grove/10 Mile neighborhood, located off Rivers Avenue, features mainly mobile homes and small, single-family homes with a mix of new builds.
Burgess’ goal for the vacant city-owned land is to encourage generational wealth through affordable housing. Anyone subject to this policy would have to build homes for sale, not rent, he added.
The city-owned property on Robertson Boulevard sits vacant on Oct. 14, 2024. A nonprofit is seeking to build two single family, affordable homes on the property.
The conversation about creating this policy was sparked at the July Finance Committee meeting when FR33 Lunch, a nonprofit formed in 2022, asked the city to deed two properties next to the Persephone-Moultrie Community Center. The nonprofit planned to use the land to build two single-family affordable homes, according to a letter written to council.
“This project aims to provide stable, safe and affordable living conditions for families who are struggling to find adequate housing in our area,” said Kwadjo Campbell, the CEO of JC & Associates, a consulting company that is working with FR33 Lunch on the project.
FR33 Lunch was started by Raphael Parks in honor of his grandmother who served as a lunch lady in the 10 Mile community. The nonprofit addresses food insecurity by providing free meals and starts programs in the community to improve residents’ quality of life, Campbell said.
The nonprofit received its tax exempt status in 2022. In June 2024, it was registered as a South Carolina charitable organization by the Secretary of State’s office.
FR33 Lunch first approached the mayor’s office in February, a month after Burgess started his first term as mayor, to discuss the housing idea. In the following months, Burgess said the mayor’s office did its “due diligence” to vet the nonprofit, ensuring the group would be able to follow through with the construction project.
According to a letter written to city council, FR33 Lunch has secured financing through CPSI 401K, a legal entity that funds residential housing in the Lowcountry that covers all phases of construction.
During the July meeting, some council members pushed back on the plan, saying a policy should be in place when approving the transfer of city-owned land to nonprofits to guarantee the project will get done.
“I think we need a defined process and I don’t think we have that now,” said Councilman Kenny Skipper. “(It’s) nothing against what you guys are trying to do.”
The previous administration did not have a policy in place, Burgess said. In the past, the proposals would go through the usual city council procedure, the same process that has slowed down this project.
At the July meeting, all of council voted to approve the deed transfer, except Skipper. But the transfer didn’t appear on the city council agenda again until October. Usually, after an item is approved at committee, it appears at the next city council meeting.
When the proposal appeared on the October meeting’s agenda, the city still did not have a policy in place. Voicing similar concerns about the policy, council unanimously voted to deny the request until the policy is in place.
On Oct. 14, Burgess told The Post and Courier his staff expects to finalize the policy this week. He expects council to approve the policy unanimously at the next meeting on Oct. 24.
Campbell said FR33 Lunch respects the council’s decision to create a clear policy moving forward. However, the nonprofit is concerned that delays in the timeline could impact the project if construction costs rise, considering the city and the nonprofit have been in discussions for eight months.
“We should be grandfathered in to ensure our project can move forward without further hindrance,” said Campbell.