Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
This home on Bush Street is one of the properties identified as blighted. This location is on the list to be demolished.
The Blight to Bright Program is cleaning up dilapidated and forgotten buildings around the City of Barnwell.
This Center Street home has been identified as a blighted property in need of being addressed.
Blighted properties across the City of Barnwell are being demolished through a partnership with a regional community development organization.
The Blight Reduction Innovation to Generate Housing Transformation (BRIGHT) program was initially approved by the city council late last year, and has since addressed 11 properties within city limits with more identified.
Blight means something deteriorating and/or causing damage, and blighted properties are a rundown space or structure no longer in habitable condition.
According to S.C. Code of Laws, blighted areas means any vacant areas in need of improvement due to a combination of age, dilapidation, being left vacant, deterioration, illegal use of structures, inadequate utilities, and lack of maintenance.
Beth Overton, the deputy director of the Southeastern Housing & Community Development Corporation (Southeastern HCD), finds blight greatly affects rural communities for multiple reasons.
“Blight can be tied back to dropping neighborhood values, health issues, crime, a diminishing tax base, and a lack of attainable housing,” said Overton. “With the removal of blight and the redevelopment of the property, all of the above-mentioned issues can be positively impacted resulting in a growing and thriving community.”
Lynn McEwen, City of Barnwell administrator, finds the removal of blighted properties to assist the city in their goal of revitalization. Not only does this program remove unsightly buildings no longer fit for habitation, but assists with property values if owners decide to sell.
“Blighted properties are just what they are…’a thing that spoils or damages something,’” said McEwen. “Removing these helps the city with its overall appearance to tourists, investors, industry, and all visitors.”
A few years ago, Southeastern HCD developed the BRIGHT Program to address blight in various municipalities also struggling with a lack of attainable housing. This program was one part of a three-prong housing plan able to be implemented comprehensively or individually, with blighted properties being one of the three prongs.
However, they struggled with homeowners unwilling to sell their blighted homes or properties and needed to reconfigure.
When the plan was presented to the city by Overton, the council approved the BRIGHT program as well as to release funding from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies to get it started.
Implementation of the BRIGHT Program required a $100,000 investment by the city out of ARPA funds. The funding from the city came to Southeastern HDC in two installments: $50,000 at the execution of the agreement and $50,000 after the first disbursement has been expended.
“The City of Barnwell elected to implement the blight portion of the plan which allowed property owners to retain ownership while at the same time removing the blighted structures,” said Overton of the ARPA allotment.
“We were able to leverage this funding and apply for a S.C. Community Economic Development Grant that is administered by the S.C. Association for Community Economic Development (SCACED) to double the funding and create a small down payment/closing cost assistance program,” said Overton.
The City of Barnwell provided Southeastern HCD with a list of properties to target in order to maximize impact. Staff from the Southeastern HCD Financial Resource Center have been reaching out to all identified property owners along with accepting requests from property owners.
So far, the BRIGHT program has addressed 11 properties on Marlboro Avenue, Calhoun Street, Jefferson Street, Dale Street, Bush Street, Center Street, 4th Street, and Dunbarton Boulevard.
Twenty-two additional properties have been identified on Main Street, Bush Street, Corley Avenue, Calhoun Street, Allen Street, Hagood Avenue, Jones Street, Elberta Circle, and Robin Road.
Interested property owners will be asked to complete an application. Properties must be within the city limits. If eligible, Southeastern HCD then gets to work hiring a contractor to remove the blighted structure.
“Once accepted into the program, our staff will work with the property owner in selecting a contractor to complete the work. Due to the grant that we received from SCACED, we have been able to increase the eligible cost to $12,000 when necessary (larger structures). We pay the contractor directly, therefore, there is no upfront cost to the property owner,” said Overton.
Other initiatives to address abandon and/or blighted properties are happening on a state level.
The S.C. Abandoned Building Revitalization Act is a credit available to taxpayers for the rehabilitation, renovation, or redevelopment of abandoned buildings. This credit was prorated back to 2013, and will be repealed on December 31, 2025.
According to the S.C. Dept. of Revenue, in order to qualify for this credit, the abandoned property must be put into operation for income producing purposes, to construct a school facility or other similar educational institution.
This tax credit is only for long-term owners of abandoned properties. A taxpayer who owned the property when it was operational and immediately prior to its abandonment is not eligible for the credit.
A taxpayer who owned the otherwise eligible building site when the site was operational and immediately prior to its abandonment is not eligible for the credit.
This state-wide program does not apply to single residence households as the BRIGHT program aims to address.
If you own a blighted property and need more information on the BRIGHT Program, call (803) 259-4607 for more information.
