Public Hearing and Ridgewood Revitalization Project Update

Residents, stakeholders and members of the Ridgewood and Barony neighborhoods are invited to attend a Public Hearing and neighborhood revitalization project update.

The purpose of the Public Hearing is to receive comments from proponents and opponents regarding the location of the community center that will be constructed in Ridgewood by the Richland County Recreation Commission.

The meeting will be facilitated by Richland County Community Development staff and will begin with an update on the revitalization project followed by the hearing. Questions will also be entertained following the comment period. All participants will be asked to sign in as they arrive and speakers will be asked to provide his/her name, mailing address and telephone number.

WHO: Richland County Community Development

WHAT: Public Hearing and Ridgewood Revitalization Project Update

WHEN: December 15, 2011 at 6:00PM

WHERE: Ridgewood Baptist Church Fellowship Hall 5326 Ridgeway Street Columbia, SC 29203

Community Development’s Partners Workshop

The Partners Workshop is scheduled for January 19, 2012 from 9am to 12pm in the 4th floor back conference room at 2020 Hampton St. This is for real estate agents, brokers, bankers, lenders, all who partner with Richland County Community Development to buy or sell a house using RCHAP. All are invited, but should call 576-2230 to RSVP.

Richland County Community Development a National Recipient!

Richland County Community Development was selected to be a recipient of the 2011 John A. Sasso Community Development Week Award. The national award recognizes communities that exemplify the spirit of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program by showcasing its good works through the activities and events during National Community Development Week. The awards was presented during National Community Development Association’s Annual Conference on Friday, June 24, 2011 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Richland County is one of nine recipients in the United States.

Richland County Celebrates Homeownership Month

June kicks off National Homeownership Month. Join us for our 6th annual National Homeownership Month Fair on Thursday, June 23rd. The fair will take place from 10 am to 2 pm at Dutch Square Mall and will have various exhibitors addressing home repair, loan financing, tips to help you prevent foreclosure, first time homebuyers’ info and more. Also expected are exhibitors on energy efficiency and a light bulb exchange (up to four (4) bulbs can be exchanged). The public is encouraged to bring nonperishable items to be donated to Harvest Hope. The fair is free and open to the public. For additional information contact Cathy McMahan at 803-576-2230.

Neighborhood Planning and Development & Community Development Department

Cordially Invites CHDO Housing Developers to “In The Know” (A Guided Tour of Richland County Master Planned Areas). Become familiar with Richland County’s priority areas and activities Tour neighborhoods and assess housing stock.

Tour 1:
Thursday, June 16, 2011
10:30 AM-1:00 PM
Tour will depart from Decker Mall Parking lot and will include the following:
Decker/Greater Woodfield
Trenholm Acres/New Castle
Broad River Heights


Tour 2:
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
10:30 AM-12:30 PM
Tour will depart from Grace Church (5000 Monticello Road Cola, SC 29203) and will include the following:
Ridgewood
Crane Creek
Broad River Road Corridor


(Refreshments provided)

RSVP by Tuesday, June 14, 2011 and for information contact:
Monique McDaniel at 576-1340 or Jocelyn Jennings at 576-2230.

National Community Development Week

Richland County Community Development (RCCD) in recognition of the National Community Development Week will be hosting the following events during the week of April 25-29th:

• Monday, April 25th Press Conference and Elected Officials Tour. Press Conference begins at 10 am 814 Dixie Avenue, Columbia SC in the Ridgewood Community. The tour will begin immediately after the Press Conference and transportation will be provided to elected officials. Benedict Allen CDC (a previously HOME-funded partner) will supply light refreshments at the site. Ridgewood is one of our current Neighborhood Revitalization areas and one of the areas oldest established communities in Richland County.
• Wednesday, April 27th RCCD hosts its popular Post Homeownership Workshop at 2020 Hampton Street (4th Floor Conference Room) for previous Richland County Housing Assistance Program (RCHAP) participants. Topics will include home maintenance, foreclosure prevention and other demonstrations. The workshop begins at 9 am.
• Thursday, April 28th RCCD hosts the RCCD Partners Luncheon and Award Ceremony at the Cecil Tills Center. The luncheon will feature keynote speaker Columbia Area HUD CPD Director Peter Rowe, and awards will be presented to our partners in the community.
• Friday, April 29th RCCD will join Lexington County and the City of Columbia to assist in hosting an Energy Expo and Fair Housing Month event out at Saluda Shoals Park (located at 5605 Bush River Road) from 10 am to 6 pm. The event and the workshops are free and open to the public.

We at Richland County Community Development wish to take this opportunity to depict a sample of the impactful initiatives and activities we are able to implement and partner within our county. For more information, please call 803-576-2048 or 803-576-2044.

2011 Energy Expo and Fair Housing Event

Lexington and Richland Counties along with the City of Columbia presents the 2011 Energy Expo and Fair Housing Event on Friday, April 29th from 10 am to 6pm. For more information, please view the flyer.

April is National Fair Housing Month

To take part in an online survey and view the Focus Group Schedule, Visit FairHousing

SC HELP Foreclosure Prevention Program Now Available Statewide

Almost $300 million in funds to keep homeowners in their homes.

Following a successful pilot program and Treasury’s approval of South Carolina’s readiness assessment, SC Housing Corp. will take its foreclosure prevention program statewide. Starting January 20, the South Carolina Homeownership and Employment Lending Program (SC HELP) will use almost $300 million in federal funds to help responsible but struggling homeowners in the state.

SC HELP is intended to assist responsible borrowers – those borrowers who are facing possible foreclosure due to circumstances beyond their control, i.e. unemployment, death of a spouse, catastrophic medical expenses and/or divorce. SC HELP is NOT intended to serve borrowers who are facing foreclosure due to poor credit and/or debt management, stripping the equity from their home for non-essential purposes, or overall mismanagement of their personal budget.

Additional information, background and resources are now posted on SC State Housing’s website, as well as www.SCMortgageHelp.com, and will be updated frequently.

SC Housing Corp. is a nonprofit division of the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC State Housing).

For more info, please click this link: http://www.scmortgagehelp.com/.

Richland County Community Development Honored

On December 9th, Columbia Housing Authority honored the department with the 2010 Community Partner of the Year Award. The nomination was based upon the work between the Columbia Housing Authority and the department in the areas of foreclosure acquisition, rehabilitation and resale (using Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds) along with a $50,000 grant to assist public housing residents with family self sufficiency providing job training and education programs. Councilman Malinowski along with CHA Executive Director Gilbert Walker was present during the ceremony.

2^nd Richland County Post Homeownership Workshop

The 2 nd Post-Homeownership Workshop held on Saturday, May 17 th was a success!  Home Depot on Two Notch Road as a CD partner hosted the workshop, giving great hands-on demonstrations, donated an array of door prizes and even provided a “Welcome Richland County Homeowners cake! Seventeen new homeowners pre-registered but almost 30 were in attendance.   Classes included everything from tile cutting, gardening and painting, along with guest  speakers Deloris Nelson of Family Services speaking on Foreclosure prevention, Tiaa Rutherford of Richland County with tips on Neighborhood Involvement, Joan Goodwin with Veranda Interiors, and Yolanda Shatten with Magic Maids.  Overall it was said that everyone learned something and was glad to have participated.

     

Traditional Latino Celebration Held on Richland County's International Corridor

    

Latino Communications in partnership with the Cultural Council of Richland & Lexington Counties and Richland County Government hosted the 1st annual Three Kings Day Parade and Celebration on Saturday, January 9, 2010 along Decker Blvd. The free event hosted over 150 participants on the parade route and over 500 citizens participated at the celebration held at 2500 Decker Blvd. The event celebrated and shared Latin culture through its foods, arts, dance, music and history. The Three Kings Day tradition is celebrated throughout Latin America and Puerto Rico. The First Annual Three Kings Day Parade was a fun, educational and entertaining event. The festival’s focus on Unity, Health, Fitness, and Financial Well Being will lay the groundwork to building a bridge between all cultures. The Richland County Community Development Department distributed housing program flyers in both English and Spanish.