Can this effort save Daufuskie’s historic homes and its link to the past?

On Daufuskie Island, a handful of aging — and in some cases rapidly deteriorating — homes are a fraying thread connecting the island’s present to its rich cultural history.

In an effort to save some of these homes, many built by the island’s Gullah community, local leaders and preservationists are pushing for a program that allows homeowners to restore the structures without taking large tax hit.

Beaufort County Council granted preliminary approval earlier this week to a tax incentive known as the Bailey Bill.

The measure allows owners of historic island homes that meet certain criteria to make improvements, repairs, and renovations without the immediate shock of a higher property tax bill.

The rule, currently only in place locally within the city of Beaufort, would freeze a qualifying property’s tax assessment at its pre-renovation value for 10 years.

Mike Bedenbaugh executive director of Preservation South Carolina, formerly known as the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, said, “We’ve been advocating for this project and to get the Bailey Bill enacted.”

“We believe this will attract investment,” which will benefit the local Gullah community and visitors to the island, he said.

The bill “allows the owners to have another tool in their kit” to preserve historic homes, he said.

Daufuskie Island Councilman Steve Hill earlier this month told members of the County Council’s Finance Committee that “we are in danger of losing (some historic homes) all together” and “a modest investment may save these structures.”

The island council has pushed for a version of the tax incentive that required less investment in renovations and froze tax rates for the longer period of time.

However, that raised concerns from the county attorney’s office and some members of the County Council.

“We recommend a uniform application of the Bailey Bill,” meaning the tax breaks offered on Daufuskie should not be more generous than those offered in Beaufort, assistant county attorney Christopher Inglese told members of County Council.

Councilman Brian Flewelling said he is “all for (preserving) these properties” on the island, but wondered rhetorically “why Daufuskie would be held to a different standard.”

Ultimately, Flewelling’s view won out and the council approved a version of the Bailey Bill for the island that matches the program in Beaufort.

Bedenbaugh said he would have preferred a more generous version of the program, but “this a place to start, we sincerely appreciate the council even taking this issue up.”

It is still possible the program could be tweaked before the council holds a final vote, which is expected next month.

This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Can this effort save Daufuskie’s historic homes and its link to the past?."