Resilient Home Program
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The Community Partners are a critical component of the Community and Regional Resilience Institute (CARRI) – their contributions as the public and private sectors bring real-world experience to the table – they are the authors of best practice and lessons learned – they are reality. “Reality” has struck these Community Partners time and again. Natural disasters do not limit themselves to city boundaries -- they are likely to strike broad expanses, encompassing many communities within varied regions.

Charleston, South Carolina and the Low Country Area

The Low Country area of South Carolina refers to a coastal plain situated in the lower part of the state; a flat landscape of sand, silt, and sometimes swampy areas. Along the coastline are salt marshes and estuaries that give way to small towns, beach communities, and a couple of fast-growing and busy cities. Along the central coast are Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, and Charleston – cities proud of their historical significance in our nation and cities who continue to prosper and grow. The City of Charleston was founded in 1670 and by the mid-18th century had become a bustling trade center, the hub of Atlantic trade for the southern colonies. Commerce and expansion have continued across the Low Country area, today Charleston is the second largest container seaport on the East Coast and the fourth largest container seaport in North America. It is the second most productive port in the World behind Hong Kong. The estimated population of the city proper is 107,845; the metropolitan area population of Charleston and North Charleston is estimated to be near 603,178.

The CARRI Process is, by design, a community-driven effort. By drawing together all aspects of the community – from the leadership to the grassroots, from the public sector and non-governmental organizations – the CARRI organizing team asked the Charleston Tri-County Area to identify their strengths as well as their vulnerabilities. After nearly a year of research, assessment, and engagement, the community identified 12 themes and named 5 priority areas. The Charleston Tri-County Area has taken on the challenge of moving forward on the lessons learned through the CARRI Process; priorities for immediate roadmap development are underway for 2 of the 5 priority focus areas (transportation and mobility and communication and information sharing). The Charleston Tri-County area knows how to get businesses back up and running after a disaster. They have a history of pulling together broad cross-sector representation and working together as needed. The Tri-County Council of Governments is the “owning” organization for the implementation of recommendations from the Charleston Tri-County CARRI Advisory Group.