News Release

Town Council Appoints Advisory Committee Members for Northpointe Public-Private Partnership Housing Initiative

July 13, 2022

The Hilton Head Island Town Council, at its meeting on Tuesday, June 21, appointed five individuals to serve on the Northpointe Public-Private Partnership Housing Advisory Committee.

The advisory committee, which will support the Town in its efforts to create housing for the Island's workforce, consists of three members of Town Council and two members of the public. They include Council Members David Ames, Tom Lennox, and Alex Brown along with Scott Wierman and Kumar Viswanathan, representatives of the public who have experience in finance and real estate development.

The committee is charged with assessing and recommending a development partner to help the Town build a sustainable neighborhood on more than 12 acres of land on its Northpointe tract. The site is within proximity to the Hilton Head Island Recreation Center and Hilton Head Island public school campus.

For the committee, Town Council sought volunteers who had prior experiences in financing workforce housing projects, architecture, real estate development or real estate economics of housing projects. "Along with the council members, we were fortunate to identify two members of community with the knowledge and expertise that matched the qualifications we sought. They both have extensive experience with the development of housing initiatives and will help us create a neighborhood that will meet a longstanding need on the Island," said Mayor John McCann.

Wierman became President and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry in January 2021. Prior to joining the community foundation, Scott was with The Winston-Salem Foundation for over 32 years, serving as its president for 23 years until November 2020. During his tenure at the Winston-Salem Foundation, the organization’s charitable assets grew from $45 million to over $600 million and awarded more than $670 million in grants.

Viswanathan, an Island resident since 1977, is the Founder and President of Asset Management Associates – a real estate investment company based on Hilton Head Island. He has been in real estate development for over 40 years, and has consulted for and represented Fortune 500 companies such as Marriott, Union Camp Corporation, Washington Water Power (Avista) and the Resolution Trust Corporation in real estate transactions. He has completed many commercial and multi-family residential projects in Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, and the Southeast.

The tract where the Northpointe housing neighborhood will be built is in Ward 1, which Council Member Brown represents. "I’m more than excited about serving on this committee and am happy to be involved. We are one step closer to creating a sustainable community neighborhood on Hilton Head Island," he said.

Town Manager Marc Orlando said the advisory committee will work closely with Town staff to review 10 proposals it has received from qualified development firms interested in providing professional services in support of the proposed Northpointe development location. The committee will also be responsible for developing criteria to determine who is eligible for housing as part of this initiative.

"The Town, as a part of its strategic plan, is committed to developing a vibrant, well-planned neighborhood on the tract of land we have identified. This is an exciting project that will help fill the gap in housing for families and individuals who would like to live on the Island where they work," Orlando said.

For more information on the proposed Northpointe Public-Private Partnership Housing, visit the Town's website at hiltonheadislandsc.gov/workforcehousing.