By Dick Stewart
In the 1990’s, I mentioned the Endangered Species Act to a rancher friend from Utah. He told in the west, they called it the Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up Act.
He explained that a bird was added to the endangered list and, ranchers were told to report sighting of the endangered bird. A rancher called to report seeing the bird. The next day, four blue sedans filled with people in suits showed up and shut down his ranch while a study was conducted. This put his herd and his family in jeopardy.
After that, folks stopped reporting bird sightings. Instead, they shot the bird, buried the bird, and kept quiet. A law intended to protect a threatened species had exactly the opposite effect and caused deaths. The lesson is obvious. Include the community in developing policy, consider real world impacts, and respect the reality on the ground.
Freedman cottage preservation
Beaufort’s Historic District includes the Northwest Quadrant, the first place in the United States where freedmen (formerly enslaved people) could own a home and create intergenerational wealth. Freedman cottages were built with scavenged materials.
Take a drive (or better a walk) through the NW Quadrant. There are 40 dilapidated buildings in the NW Quadrant. Thirty of the 40 vacant buildings are believed to be “heirs’ property.” Heirs’ property is property that was passed down without a will so there may be multiple owners. Heirs’ property can’t be mortgaged, leased, or sold. The owner or owners can’t use these financial tools to improve and maintain their property.
Good intentions vs. good results
The Beaufort Historic District was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1969, just four years after the end of the Jim Crow era. A series of well-intentioned policies were put in place without regard to the legacy of Jim Crow, redlining, and shady land dealings involving heirs’ property that caused families to lose their property.
The standards do not address the issue of heirs’ property. These policies were intended to “save” the buildings. However, just like the birds I mention above, these policies are partially responsible for the 40 vacant and dilapidated houses.
It is certain that regulatory requirements add risk to the cost and implementation of renovation. Simply put, an owner with limited resources may not justify using those resources (money and time away from work) to pursue renovations with no assurance of approval. Just like a rancher would decide against reporting endangered bird sightings based on the effect it will have on his herd and his income.
Indeed, just like the birds that were killed, owners of these houses have just chosen not to take part. Seems reasonable to me.
Who is harmed by these vacant and dilapidated buildings?
The owners obviously are harmed. The neighbors are harmed. A historic preservation economist speaking in Beaufort said that each neighbor’s house near a dilapidated house lost $50,000 in value due to proximity. If the amount is adjusted for inflation and there are three neighbor houses near each dilapidated house, then the value lost to neighbors and the community is $9,000,000 (40 vacant houses multiplied by three neighbors multiplied by $75,000 per neighbor.) Taxpayers are harmed because they are paying for streets, sidewalks, first responders, parks, schools, a library, and other infrastructure intended to serve these dilapidated houses.
Should owners be required to sell their property to someone who will renovate the building?
Recently Mayor Phil Cromer said the goal is to preserve the buildings, culture, and family ownership of these cottages. Mayor Cromer is right. People should not be forced to sell their property. Neither should they be trapped into keeping the property because they can’t afford to clear the heirs’ property title.
Reputable sources estimate that in the area between Virginia and Texas, heirs’ property value exceed $30 billion. I don’t know what that number is in Beaufort, but I know its too much.
What’s the solution?
Money and focus. We need $13,000,000 (40 buildings x $325,000 per building) to repair or replace dilapidated buildings. The City should not provide this funding. There are others that will.
The next steps should include 1) Documenting and recording the history of these properties like we do with grand houses; 2) Naming the property. If the character and history of the property let it be known by name and plaque rather than just a street address; (3) Encouraging the owners of heirs’ property to clear the title. Some people might sell their property. It is their property; 4) Implementing policies that make financing easier. The Freedman Arts District revolving program works. Expand it; (5) Extending the federally designated Opportunity Zone status to include the NW Quadrant and Dixon Village; and 6) Encouraging demolition and replacement of houses that are not practical to restore.
Measure success
Repairing a building each year while another building becomes dilapidated is failure. Dilapidated buildings are a blight on the neighborhood, on the Historic District and on the City. Owners are harmed. Neighbors are harmed. Taxpayers are harmed. Success is when the number of dilapidated buildings declines each year until it is minimal (say three total).
Lesson learned – changes made
The Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up failure could have been mitigated by an effort to avoid harming the ranchers. The City is forming a committee to explore solutions to the failed policies that’s have resulted in 40 dilapidated buildings.
Congratulations to City Council and staff and thank you. It’s time to change. Let’s respect people’s emotional ties to their property. Let’s not force them to sell their property. Let’s make demolition and replacement easy for buildings that are past saving.
Let’s move past the racial, and economic discrimination of the past by creating trust and good will. Let’s not be timid. Let’s be bold.
Please give me your thoughts on what we should do. I want to hear from you at stewartthoughts@gmail.com.
Dick Stewart serves on several nonprofit boards, is a former member of Beaufort County Council and has invested in properties in Beaufort including properties along Waterfront Park. You can send your thoughts to Stewartthoughts@gmail.com
