Way to go BO!

Tomorrow's Coastland Times will feature a photo the groundbreaking ceremony for Nature's Walk. Ten or twelve community leaders with shovels, marking the first project to be generated by the county's efforts to increase the supply of housing that is affordable for service sector workers (teachers, police officers etc) and other entry level home buyers. It is an important achievement, made even more special (drum roll please Monty) because it is a for-profit project. Local government has waived some fees and revised some rules but the project is being built on spec but a local developer who believes he can make a profit marketing this product. There are some not so free market incentives and protections available for the buyers but the seller has to get the land, build and sell the homes and come out ahead. This bodes well for future projects of this type.
It is a particularly sweet day for one those leaders with shovels. He has made workforce housing the focus of his efforts for the last 10 years or so. Gervas (Bo to his friends) Taylor of Bo Taylor Fine Homes began work on this issue when he was President of the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce. He led a committee of the chamber that held the first countywide meeting on housing in 2o01. That meeting led directly to the formation of the Outer Banks Community Development Corporation, which has listed Bo as Chairperson since its inception. The OBCDC has been slowly marshaling the resources that led to today's groundbreaking. Bo has been marshaling the marshals all that time. Bo doesn't get all the credit, there are others who have been at his side most of the way and some, like the Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners, who made large contributions to the success of this project, but Bo has been the major force behind any progress that has been made.
Congratulations Bo, I don't think this would have happened without you. I know it happened because you knew it needed to. Thanks for all you've done.