United Voices: Meet Ginny Stroud

Chairperson of SCACED’s Board of Directors Ginny Stroud was recognized by United Bank in honor of National Volunteer Month. Check out the excerpt below and click the button to read the full tribute!

Excerpt

Meet Ginny Stroud

Can you tell me about your role at United?

I am the community development officer based in Greenville, SC. My work revolves around supporting the Bank with Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) initiatives.

What does that entail?

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) was enacted in 1977 to encourage financial institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they do business, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. I work closely with market presidents, loan officers, commercial lenders, and other folks at the Bank to identify community development loans that meet the definition of CRA. These are loans that might support affordable housing development, may aid in the development of a homeless shelter or a shelter for victims of domestic violence, or a loan that provides a line of credit for a nonprofit organization. I also manage United’s CRA investments.

Activities that support community development also qualify as CRA activities. This is where volunteering comes into play. I help teams in the Carolinas, and now Georgia, identify opportunities for volunteer work.

Charleston County creates $8 million loan fund to help developers build affordable housing

Reprinted from The Post & Courier

Charleston County has set aside more than $8 million of its tourism taxes to create a loan fund to bring more affordable housing to the area.

The Local Housing Trust Fund, announced March 27 by county leaders and its partner, South Carolina Community Loan Fund, will provide below-market loans to developers and organizations that build affordable housing. These projects are costly and won't happen without subsidies like this, according to Christine Durant, deputy county administrator for community services.

A change in state law made the fund possible. Until 2023, state and local tourism taxes could only be used to advertise or support local venues, events or projects that attract overnight visitors. Now, local governments can use taxes collected on hotel or short-term rental stays toward housing that individuals who work at hotels, restaurants and other tourism-centered jobs can afford.

The bipartisan legislation does not provide any new funding, but rather allows localities to earmark up to 15 percent of their accommodations tax revenue for housing.

Better Housing, Better Life - Homes Of Hope Offers Paths To Stable, Affordable Future

Don Oglesby can run a nonprofit organization. But he can’t tread water.

So, he almost drowned.

“When I was 10 years old, I got sucked into this hole in the creek. It started pulling me down, and I couldn't tread water to yell for help,” he says.

Oglesby struggled to push his head up through the water to the surface. That’s all he could manage.

“I went up for the fourth time, and I thought I was probably not coming back up again. A boy named Travis Fitz ... a kid at camp with me … he saw that I was struggling, and he reached out his hand and pulled me out. Then, he just walked away.

“I guess he thought I fell and that all he did was pick me up. I looked for him years later to tell him that he saved my life, but I never found him.”

Now, Oglesby reaches out and pulls people up. So they don’t drown.

The organization he leads, Homes of Hope, helps people rewrite their stories:

• Men previously addicted to drugs and alcohol learn skills that prepare them for good jobs.

• People who can’t afford a safe, clean place to live can purchase or rent a house built by Homes of Hope.

S.C. training program aims to keep inmates on straight path

RIDGEVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Department of Corrections has the lowest recidivism rate in the country, but they want to make it even lower by teaching inmates job skills they can use immediately after incarceration.

The Lieber Correctional Institute in Ridgeville is in its third week of a pilot program that has master welders teaching inmates how to weld hands-on and learn other skills in the classroom, like how to develop a blueprint.

“We’re setting them up for success and not failure,” South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said.

Four CSRA county school districts will be impacted by the $2.1 million in grants awarded to rural school districts for projects designed to increase workforce readiness.

The inmates in this all-male prison have volunteered to take part, and it does not matter what their offenses are. They just have to have consistently good behavior and have already served a decent amount of their sentence.

The Grace Impact Development Center is a nonprofit that has helped bring this program to life. Its co-executive director, Tory Liferidge, says one of their main missions is workforce development.

“They’re not just gaining welding skills, but through our master welders, they’re gaining life skills,” Liferidge said. “And having different types of conversations, it’s making it a holistic program for them. "

CommunityWorks guides entrepreneurs in achieving financial wellness

Reprinted from Upstate Business Journal

People looking to successfully start or grow a small business must strive to maintain financial wellness. 

This concept refers to a person’s ability to effectively manage their personal and business finances to meet their short- and long-term goals. 

CommunityWorks, a statewide nonprofit lending institution, offers a free program to entrepreneurs who wish to improve their financial wellness. The program aims to help clients follow a clear action plan to earn, save and spend money that aligns with their values and future vision. 

The program targets minority business owners at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey. For example, someone in the ideation stage of starting a new business can seek coaching to receive guidance on how to get their finances in check. Established entrepreneurs can also request coaching if they don’t have the tools to scale their business.

Senior affordable housing breaks ground along Woodruff Road in Greenville

Reprinted from Greenville Journal

Construction for Southpointe Senior Residences, a $23 million affordable housing project, kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 21. 

The new apartment community off Woodruff Road in Greenville will be reserved for low- and moderate-income renters over the age of 55. Specifically, the units will target seniors earning 20% to 60% of the area median income. 

Ninety residential units with one- and two-bedroom floor plans will be available at Southpoint Senior at 30 Southpointe Drive. Pre-leasing will begin in December 2025 and construction is expected to take 18 months to complete. The apartment community will also include a community center, business center and fitness center for residents. 

Southpoint Senior will be created in partnership with the Greenville Housing Fund and Lowcountry Housing Communities, a new developer in the Greenville market. South Carolina Housing Authority awarded the project the 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit award in 2021.

Leadership Salkehatchie meets with legislators in D.C.

Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber of Commerce's Enterick Lee, Director of Programs, recently visited Washington, D.C. with the 2024 cohort of Leadership Salkehatchie to meet with legislators and discuss successes and concerns of the Salkehatchie region and advocate for positive change for the region.

This year, the class met in person with Senator Lindsey Graham and Representative James Clyburn. The group also met with staff members from Senator Tim Scott’s and Representative Joe Wilson’s offices. Read more about their visit below!

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The 2024 cohort of Leadership Salkehatchie spent its final session meeting with legislators in Washington, D.C.   Shelby Broomfield, director of the USC Salkehatchie Leadership Institute, says the trip provided a chance for participants to reflect on topics discussed and lessons learned throughout the program.

“The Washington D.C. trip is always exciting and provides an opportunity for the group to share what is happening in the Salkehatchie region,” Broomfield said. “Sharing stories, best practices, the wins, and the challenges with colleagues from various parts of the region brings about a sense of pride, increases knowledge and builds relationships.  The Leadership Salkehatchie class conveyed successes and concerns they have for the region directly with our legislators, while advocating for positive change for the region. I am proud of the members of the class of 2024 for their dedication to the communities they serve and their courage to use their voices for the betterment of the Salkehatchie region.”

City of Charleston celebrates completion of its latest affordable housing project: James Lewis, Jr. Apartments

Reprinted from Lowcountry Biz SC

Today, the City of Charleston proudly celebrated the ribbon cutting ceremony for the James Lewis, Jr. Apartments located at 89 Hanover Street. The completion of this project is a significant milestone for affordable housing solutions within the community.

Former City Councilman James Lewis, Jr. alongside Mayor William S. Cogswell cut the ribbon to signify the completion of the affordable housing project. With an $11 million investment from the City of Charleston, which includes Affordable Housing Bond funds, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds, and the value of the land, the James Lewis, Jr. Apartments offer 64 affordable rental homes for individuals earning sixty percent or below the Area Median Income.