Michelle Mapp, LHT executive director, participated on a panel discussion with key stakeholders in rural economic development. “We must come together collectively, both the conservation community and the community development community, to address issues of housing in rural South Carolina. We must think differently about how we access and deploy capital to meet the needs of rural communities often plagued by higher rates of heirs’ property ownership. How do we empower these families who have lived on this land for hundreds of years to gain the economic benefits of their land while also protecting the land and providing a safe, decent and affordable place for them to call home? This is question that we must agree to answer.”

The mission of the RRCSC is to capitalize on South Carolina’s human and natural resources in order to improve the quality of life for all her citizens by promoting sustainable economic development in rural communities and wise stewardship of her land and water.

The RRCSC was formed when representatives from affordable housing, agriculture, community development, conservation, forestry, heirs’ property and tourism recognized the mutual need for sustainable economic development to leverage the abundance of natural and human resources in South Carolina’s rural areas.

The objective of the coalition is to offer viable alternatives that will encourage wealth creation from within: local food markets, conservation of working farms and forests, agricultural and heritage-based tourism, affordable housing, homegrown renewable energy and downstream markets for value-added agricultural and forestry products. Together, this emerging coalition represents the interests of hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians and nearly a third of our $164 billion annual economy.

The Lowcountry Housing Trust is one of 19 organizations on the RRCSC founding steering committee. The steering committee addresses and advances sustainable policies and works to generate support for rural communities in South Carolina.

As part of the inaugural group of Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) grantees, the Lowcountry Housing Trust (LHT) has been invited to join a historic convening of grantees, funders, supporters and federal leaders and policymakers on May 8, 2012 in Washington, D.C. Last year LHT applied for and was one of twelve organizations nationally to receive a HHFI award from the U.S. Treasury Department CDFI Fund.

The HFFI has funded a wide range of innovative projects in rural, urban and suburban communities among a diversity of recipients. These projects include an exciting mix of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, cooperatives and healthy food hubs to name a few. This convening offers a valuable opportunity to learn about what others are doing in their communities, to network and to share best practices and resources. Sessions will cover a range of topics from strategies for long-term sustainability, evaluation and measurement, mapping to better understands demand and community needs, and building a successful model.

Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to meet with federal policymakers and grant-makers, including those from the Departments of Treasury, Health and Human Services, Agriculture and Congress.

South Carolina ranks 41st nationally in public health and leads the nation in most of the negative health indices, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease, obesity, diabetes, infant mortality and access to affordable health care. Among the challenges facing our low-wealth communities is access to fresh, healthy food. Currently there are 251,566 residents living in 21 food deserts located in 14 different South Carolina counties.

Yet, the problem goes beyond health; poor communities are often cut off from the economic development opportunities that arise from a local grocery store. $310,900,000 of funds spent on groceries by residents in South Carolina food deserts occurs outside of their local community; this is known as grocery retail leakage. These markets can support 529,000 square feet of grocery retail which directly translates into jobs, transportation cost savings, citizen engagement, economic development, an increased tax base and, most importantly, improved access to healthy food.

Community Service Month is close to our hearts. As you know, Lowcountry Housing Trust is a regional affordable housing advocate and financier working to address the housing crisis facing the local community.

There are so many people in our local community that are without basic human needs: food, shelter and clothing. It helps that there are great organizations in our area that do help provide some of these basic needs. But these organizations, including Lowcountry Housing Trust, cannot do it alone. You know how they always say, “It takes a village?” Well, it really does. We need your help and it’s easy to get involved, whether you give of your time, energy and expertise or provide financial support.

If you’re inclined to volunteer, you’re not alone. The Corporation for National and Community Service reports volunteers provide a powerful economic and social benefit to communities across the nation, with 62.8 million adults serving almost 8.1 billion hours through organizations in 2010.

The payback? “Volunteering makes the heart grow stronger,” says David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National Community Service, which released a report on the health benefits of volunteering. “More than 61 million Americans volunteer to improve conditions for people in need and to unselfishly give of themselves. While the motivation is altruistic, it is gratifying to learn that their efforts are returning considerable health benefits.”

As we leave April and step into May, we urge you to continue to think about our community and ways in which you can provide support. Lowcountry Housing Trust provides opportunities throughout the year for you to get involved, so be sure to check out our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for the latest news and developments.

Locally, individuals have to earn twice the minimum wage just to afford the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment and one of every five children in Charleston lives in substandard housing.

When you consider these facts, it’s a reminder that we can all make a difference and we must take action now. Lowcountry Housing Trust exists to help provide affordable housing, but we can’t do it alone. We need your help.

Your charitable, tax-deductible gifts and investments certainly make a difference. Your support helps to transform lives and build strong communities — from the first time homebuyer, to the child whose life is improved by having a home, to the senior citizen who has a safe place to live.

Ways to give to Lowcountry Housing Trust include:

• Donating online or by mail
• Stock transfer
• Pledge
• Matching gifts - Contact us
• Gifts in kind - Contact us
• Gifts of real estate - Contact us

If you’re interested in investing in Lowcountry Housing Trust, please know that by doing so you will be providing a positive social impact on our local community. All investments have a below-market return of 2%, require a minimum investment of $25,000, and have a minimum term of five years.  For more information on how to make an investment, please contact Michelle Mapp, executive director, at 843-973-3596 or email her at michelle@lowcountryhousingtrust.org.

For more information about ways you can contribute to our cause, and the tax benefits that are available to you, please visit www.lowcountryhousingtrust.org.

An article on NPR’s website recently compared spending by Americans in December 1949 to December 2011. The article was based on a report on consumer spending from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The side-by-side comparison revealed Americans once spent the majority of their paychecks on food (40% in 1949 vs. 15.3% in 2011). But 50 years later, Americans spend the bulk of their income on housing (26.1% in 1949 vs. 41.1% in 2011).

We’ll compare additional spending patterns later, but the article says the major drop in spending on food has to do with the simple fact that productivity increases in agriculture and manufacturing have made food cheaper to buy than it was then.

As for housing, the article says a factor in the increase of spending on housing is because people on average are now buying and renting homes that are much larger than they were in the 1950s. It said that in 1950, the average new house was less than 1,000 square feet; in 2000, the average new house was larger than 2,000 square feet.

The amount Americans spend on transportation has also jumped from 7.3% of income in 1949 to 16.9% of income in 2011. This rise was driven by the spread of cars, the article said. In 1950, there were only three vehicles for every 10 Americans. By 2000, that had risen to eight vehicles for every 10 Americans.

Looking at the dramatic swing in the amount Americans spend on housing is certainly a hot button at Lowcountry Housing Trust. Here, we’re focused on trying to ensure affordable housing options for residents in our region. We’re working to bridge the gap between governments and developers; developers and non-profits; and families and the need for affordable housing.

To learn more about financing for an affordable housing development in South Carolina, visit http://www.lowcountryhousingtrust.org/.

You may not have ever thought about this, but take a minute and mull it over now. What words – and feelings – pop into your head when you think about where you have lived – or where you’re living — and what it has meant for you and your family?

Please join our conversation on Twitter throughout April and help us raise awareness about the importance of affordable housing. Within your tweet, please share why housing matters to you and include the hashtag #housingmatters and @LCHousingTrust. Each week, we’ll award one randomly chosen follower with a $25 Home Depot gift card as thanks for helping us spread the word. The winner will be announced on Twitter each Sunday beginning April 8.

Here are the rules:

-Starting April 1, join us on Twitter and tell us why housing matters to you.

-You can tweet as many times as you like in a day, but you will only receive 1 entry per day to win the gift card.

-You can increase your chances by tweeting a photo of yourself in front of your home, or some other representation of why housing matters to you, to receive 5 entries per day.

-Make sure you incorporate #housingmatters and @LCHousingTrust because that’s how we’ll track the entries.

-Every Sunday through the end of April 2012, we’ll randomly pick a winner and announce them on Twitter.

For us, housing means so much. For starters, it matters to us because we believe it contributes to a family’s well-being, safety, security, dignity, pride, health and so much more. We can’t wait to find out what it means to you.

For more information about Lowcountry Housing Trust, please visit lowcountryhousingtrust.org.

EQ2s are patient capital in the form of below-market-rate loans. Wells Fargo says this limited resource is reserved for nonprofit community development partners that are working to expand affordable housing, job creation and economic development in the communities where Wells Fargo does business.

Community Development Financial Institutions like LHT have a 98% repayment rate on the loans made, so the money we receive from investments like this one from Wells Fargo, as well as donations you make, can be lent out to the community again and again.

When you look at the big picture, these investments not only help increase the quality and availability of affordable housing, they also act as a catalyst to create a positive social impact in South Carolina.

For more information about Lowcountry Housing Trust, please visit our website at lowcountryhousingtrust.org.

In the area known as Sewee-to-Santee region, along Highway 17 north of Mount Pleasant, this balance is crucial and Lowcountry Housing Trust has received a grant to study housing needs in this region. This rural stretch is beautiful and largely undeveloped. It contains the Francis Marion Forest, Bulls Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the Center for Birds of Prey. But according to a recent article in the Post and Courier, residents in the Sewee area need better housing, better utilities and jobs. The article said “residents in the area are faced with a shortage of jobs, inadequate septic tanks and drinking water supplies and outdated electrical service … 40% of residents struggle to pay their basic bills.”

A group called the Sewee Summit was formed by Charleston County, Mount Pleasant, McClellanville and Awendaw leaders to determine whether the Sewee-to-Santee area could benefit from regional collaboration in order to meet the conservation, community, economic development and social needs of the area. The Summit’s goal is to develop a coordinated strategy in partnership with the major municipalities, public and private utility providers, land owners and interested community partners.

As part of its study, Lowcountry Housing Trust has been given a $5,000 grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation to assess housing needs in this region. You can read more about the Sewee-to-Santee area, and about the Summit’s goals in this brochure, which also was funded by the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation.

We’ll keep you posted on our study of the region. For more information about Lowcountry Housing Trust, please visit http://www.lowcountryhousingtrust.org/.

Race Judicata is a great way to get a little exercise in a family-friendly environment, as well as support our organization. Thanks to the overwhelming support from local organizations, and the racers, Charleston’s Race Judicata has raised more than $40,000 since 2007 to benefit LHT.

If you’d like to join in the fun, there’s still time to register.

LHT also is giving away a free entry to the race when we reach 300 friends on our Facebook page. Check it out, become our friend by clicking “like” and maybe you’ll be the lucky winner!

If you’re not familiar with Lowcountry Housing Trust, we are a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of building vibrant, sustainable communities by increasing the availability of affordable housing and to act as a catalyst to meet the fundamental needs of underserved neighborhoods.

Come down to the race to learn more about our organization and what we do. Your participation in the race is very much appreciated and will be rewarded not only with a sense of community, but plenty of bagels, bananas and water, too. J

For more information about the race, please visit www.charlestonracejudicata.com.

And for more information about Lowcountry Housing Trust, please visit http://lowcountryhousingtrust.org/.

If you have some time this weekend, consider performing a DIY home inspection. You might end up calling in a “professional” to help fix a few things, but in many cases, you’ll be able to handle minor repairs yourself.

Here’s a great checklist for a DIY home inspection from the experts at Popular Mechanics:

Outside:

Bad shingles: Use a ladder or binoculars to check asphalt shingles for curling, blistering or other signs of wear.

Fix it now: Control ugly and roof-damaging algae, fungus and mold by installing zinc strips along the ridge and cleaning the roof with bleach and water, as they suggest at This Old House.
Gaps around doors: Uneven spaces around doors and windows can indicate shifting of the foundation.

Clogged gutters: Leaves and sticks collect in your gutters and keep them from working properly. Clogs also are great places for things to grow, bugs to live and for water damage to occur on the eaves of your house. Here’s a great “How to” for cleaning your gutters.

Pushy plants: Branches can form a bridge to the attic for squirrels, raccoons and other critters. Overgrown shrubbery near the house encourages mildew to grow on siding — and can conceal human intruders.

Cracked caulk: The sealant around doors and windows is vital in keeping water out.

Peeling paint: It not only looks bad, but deteriorated paint also exposes wooden siding to weather damage.

The Attic

Truss trouble: Any tampering with an engineered roof truss compromises its strength and can create a dangerous condition. If you notice that truss elements have been cut by a previous homeowner to make more headroom, call a structural engineer–this is serious.

Leaky roof: For this one, you’ll need to wait for a great downpour. While it’s raining, climb into the attic to look for leaking around chimneys, plumbing stacks, vents and skylights. Scan the underside of the sheathing for water stains.

Overused insulation: Batts that cover recessed lighting fixtures are a fire hazard, unless the fixture is “IC” rated. And blocking soffit vents can drive up energy and repair costs. For good airflow, pull batts off soffit vents.
Heat-leaking stairs: Are pull-down stairs letting heat into the attic? Turn on the attic light, close the steps and look up to check for a loose fit.

Living Spaces

Shaky throne: A toilet that wobbles can break the wax ring at its base, leading to major water damage.

Misdirected vents: Dryer vents should exit the building envelope, not lead into a basement, garage or attic.

Overworked wiring: Bathrooms in older homes are notoriously ill-equipped for the power demands of hair dryers and other modern gadgets, leading to flickering lights, tripped circuits or even dangerous overheating. At a minimum, a bathroom should have a dedicated 15-amp circuit.
Moisture buildup: Mildew and peeling wallpaper indicate poor bathroom ventilation. Make sure the exhaust duct leads outside. Also, the CFM rating listed on the fan should at least equal the square footage of the bathroom.

Stuck doors and windows: Jamming can point to whole-house shifting.

Water stains: Don’t mask brown stains on ceilings or walls with primer until you find the cause.

Faulty grout: Shower leaks can lead to rot in studs and wallboard.

Fix it now: If the grout’s showing its age, clean it thoroughly before replacing it, then apply sealer.
Loose railings: Tug on stairwell railings to make sure they are firmly attached to the wall and floor.
If you have a basement, visit our friends at Popular Mechanics for a DIY inspection list and other DIY inspection tips.

Let us know if you do a DIY home inspection and what you find? We bet you’ll be glad you did it!