In 2011, Town Council adopted an ordinance creating a special tax assessment for rehabilitated historic properties, as allowed by Sec. 4-9-195 and Sec. 5-21-140 of the SC Code of Laws (commonly referred to as the "Bailey Bill." The purpose of the Bailey Bill is to encourage investment into historic buildings by freezing the assessment rate for property tax purposes at the building’s pre-rehabilitation value.
In 2016, Town Council adopted an amendment to the Bailey Bill ordinance to maximize the potential value of the incentive to the highest amount permitted by state law. With the amendment, eligible properties can now freeze the value of their property for a period of 20 years with a minimum investment of only 20% of the building’s fair market value.
For more information on this program and to see if your project might be eligible for this incentive, please contact the Town’s Planning Department.