The Aransas Pass Progress (Aransas Pass, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 28, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 13, 2016 Page: 4 of 10
ten pages : ill.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Aransas Pass Progress
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Page 4
Introduction to SPCEDC
Choosing the right project
for your home renovation
by-laws and policies set forth by
the board of directors.
In 2016, the organization
has several new initiatives. One
of the new initiatives is a part-
ner’s breakfast. We will have a
breakfast in all nine cities in the
county. At each breakfast we
will talk about the economy, the
work of the SPCEDC, and pro-
vide an opportunity to network.
So far we have had breakfasts in
Aransas Pass, Gregory, and
Ingleside. Our next breakfast is
July 20 in Ingleside on the Bay
followed by Mathis on August
17. We will finish the year in
December in Taft. Then in
2017, we will start over in
Aransas Pass in January.
An additional part of our
outreach is making ourselves
available for presentations to
civic clubs, chambers of com-
merce, and businesses. If you
would like to schedule a
speaker, please call the SPCEDC
per year for the next five years.
More than double what we are
doing now! A housing unit is a
place for a person or family to
live. So, a 70-unit apartment
project is 70 housing units. A
320 lot subdivision like the one
going in Aransas Pass is 320
housing units. We have shown
the study to builders, develop-
ers, bankers and government.
We will continue to be an advo-
cate for new housing units to be
built.
By SPCEDC Executive
Director Foster Edwards
at 361-777-2368.
We continue to work on
recruiting and retaining jobs for
the county. At this writing we
have 9 prospects in various
stages of considering San
Patricio County. Part of our
efforts include commissioning
studies to identify issues within
the County and possible solu-
tions to those issues. Those
solutions are part of the key to
recruiting and retaining busi-
nesses within the county.
One of the issues that we
identified early this year is
housing. We ask Dr. Jim Lee at
Texas A&M Corpus Christi to
study housing in San Patricio
County for us. Dr. Lee pointed
out that over the last five years
we have averaged a little over
180 new housing units in San
Patricio County per year. His
findings showed that, based on
current projected job growth,
we need to build over 430 units
By Nathaniel Sillin
with other houses on the
street. As far as interior
renovations, keep your
spending in line with your
future sale price. For exam-
ple, a $100,000 kitchen in a
home that might not sell for
more than $300,000 would
probably be a wasted invest-
ment - but a kitchen update
worth $10,000 or less might
help your house move
quicker once it’s listed for
sale.
The San Patricio County
Development
Corporation (SPCEDC) has
been charged with the recruit-
ment of new business, the
retention of existing business,
and promotion of tourism in
San Patricio County. The
organization is governed by a
34-member board of directors
who are appointed by the
county, the 9 cities in the
county, the Port of Corpus
Christi, the Chambers of
Commerce, and the business
community. Those same groups
supply the funding for the
SPCEDC.
The SPCEDC is a non-
profit corporation with a 501
(c6) designation by the IRS. As
a non-profit corporation, the
board members are volunteers.
The board hires a professional
staff who operates under rules,
Before the housing mar-
ket collapse of 2007, all reno-
vation projects - no matter
how expensive - seemed like
winners. Today, home reno-
vation is a whole new ball-
game and why you should
carefully research any poten-
tial fix-up project you’re
planning for your home.
For the past 14 years,
Remodeling magazine’s
annual Remodeling 2016
Cost vs. Value Report
(http ://www. remodel-
ing. hw.net / cost-vs-
value/2016/) has tracked
cost recoupment on renova-
tion projects nationwide and
by region, as local tastes are
important. Based on trends
from transactions tracked in
2015, several guidelines
emerged:
-Aim to cover your
costs. Pre-housing crash,
people were investing heav-
ily in their homes and seeing
returns greater than 100 per-
cent on their spending. In
2016, the cost and return at
resale for the projects listed
in the report averaged 64.4
percent for a home sold
within a year of the
upgrades. Making a profit on
a renovation isn’t guaran-
teed, so aim instead to tackle
projects that will allow you
to recover your costs at the
highest possible level.
-Smaller projects focus-
ing on essentials can provide
better returns. A decade ago,
it was an upscale outdoor
deck or a gourmet kitchen.
These days, new doors,
which can cost under $500
to replace and install, are one
of the most popular projects.
A high quality fiberglass
entry door replacement can
recoup an average 82.3 per-
cent of costs; a garage door
replacement can return over
90 percent.
-Upgrade rooms and
spaces, but keep it modest. A
kitchen remodel
Economic
We are in the beginning
stages of another study. We are
working with the RTA, TxDOT,
the MPO, and Naismith
-How long will I stay
post-renovation?
Remember, the latest
Remodeling magazine num-
bers cover only one year of
cost recovery on projects.
People renovate for a variety
of needs, either to make the
home more livable or to
make it more salable. The
longer you stay, the more
you’ll get out of the invest-
ment - but if you have to sell
soon, think carefully about
what you’ll need to spend to
attract a buyer.
-Will this send my prop-
erty taxes through the roof?
Renovation projects that cre-
ate larger homes can risk
higher property taxes. You
should think through poten-
tial property tax impact not
only for yourself but also for
your future buyer. Consider
checking with your local
residential taxing body to
determine “before and after”
property tax rates for reno-
vated properties in your
vicinity. Sometimes this
information might be avail-
able on their websites. If you
know a real estate broker
Engineering to look for ways to
solve the traffic problem on
HWY 361 between Gregory and
Ingleside.
In future columns, we will
report to you on that study as
well other initiatives of the San
Patricio County Economic
Development Corporation.
to
w/vz/y/////,
Mi
■m.
V
pJO
/
/- /.
1
1 ,
m
/ t
%
m
-H-
I
1 -■
M
yl
!'l
y.
A t1
m
I
m
Wmf?
mt
r
0
Wa m
<
with significant knowledge
of your immediate neighbor-
hood, you might consider
speaking with them about
this issue.
Consider
O
0
7,
1
7/
0
m
i
.v,
consulting
experts to help you answer
the basic questions you’ll
have as you make this deci-
Start with trusted
fm
l
sion.
financial professionals who
can offer a second opinion
on what you’re planning to
do, how much you want to
spend, and what particular
tax issues may arise when it’s
time to sell. If you need to
borrow to renovate, that
means it’s time to make sure
(
minor
including upgraded cabinet
fronts, new hardware and
the addition of one or two
The month of July marks National UV Safety Month
energy-efficient appliances
averaged a return of more
than 83 percent of original
cost compared to the 65 per-
cent for the gut jobs.
After assessing the
national and regional aver-
ages, you’ll need to evaluate
your personal situation,
local home market and the
type of homes that are sell-
ing in your neighborhood.
Let’s start with the questions
you need to ask yourself:
kinds
improvements make sense
for my neighborhood?
Generally, exterior renova-
tions that complement
nearby homes have greater
value, so consider how your
new exterior might fit in
By Rep. Todd Hunter
July is designated as
National Ultraviolet (UV)
Safety Month. According to
the American Cancer Society,
individuals with a high level of
exposure to UV rays from the
sun have an increased risk of
skin cancer, which is the most
prevalent type of cancer in the
country.
Cancer Society estimates that
there are 5.4 million cases of
skin cancer diagnosed each
year, and that of these cases,
there will be over 76,000 cases
of melanoma in 2016. It is
important to note that despite
these statistics, skin cancer is
also one of the most prevent-
able forms of cancer and can
be avoided by reducing one’s
exposure to UV radiation. As
such, I would like to share
some important information
on the necessary precautions
to take in order to safeguard
against the damaging effects of
UV radiation this summer as
recommended by the United
State Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS).
One of the most impor-
tant ways to protect oneself
from overexposure to UV
radiation is to understand the
risks. While the sun emits UV
rays no matter the season,
exposure is greatest during the
summer months, which also
coincides with a time of
increased outdoor activity for
most people. As one of the
most popular tourism destina-
tions in the state, this is espe-
cially true in our area as both
locals and visitors alike spend
more time outside participat-
ing in recreational activities
such as fishing, kayaking and
swimming. It is also important
to note that the sun’s UV rays
are strongest between 10 a.m.
and 4 p.m. As such, HHS rec-
ommends seeking shade when
possible during these hours to
limit exposure.
Moreover, according to
the Environmental Protection
your credit reports
(https://www.annualcredi-
treport.com/index.action)
are accurate and you are pre-
qualified or pre-approved
for your loan based on what
is required.
In short, do your home-
work before you renovate
your home.
Bottom line: In 2016,
home renovation is far from
a home run. Know how long
you’re planning to stay in the
home before you start and
make sure the project you
choose makes sense for your
local marketplace or you
won’t get your money back.
I The Aransas Pass
The
American
Staff
Agency (EPA), the strength of
the sun’s UV rays can vary
from day to day due to many
factors such as changes in the
weather. Limiting outdoor
activity during days when the
UV Index forecast is high can
also help reduce one’s chance
of overexposure. You can
check the UV Index forecast to
understand the exposure risks
in our area daily by visiting the
Environmental Protection
Agency’s website here:
https://www.epa.gov/sun-
safety.
General Manager
John Bowers
Reporter
Jesica Parsley
Reporter
Bill Eaves
Bookkeper
Denise Ayers
Distribution Manager
Michael Hembree
Contributing Writer
Richard Gonzales
Laura Simank
-What
of
The Aransas Pass Progress
(USPS 028-900) is published
weekly by Granite Publishing
Partners Inc., 346 S. Houston
St., Aransas Pass, Texas 78336.
Second Class postage paid at
Aransas Pass, TX. Postmaster:
Send address changes to The
Aransas Pass Progress, P.O. Box
2100 Aransas Pass, TX 78335.
Suscription rates: Aran-
sas and San Patricio County,
Cities of Port Aransas and Rock-
port- $39 per year. Outside the
listed area- $49 per year.
Lepers to the Editor
WE'RE
ALL EARS
In addition to under-
standing your risk of exposure
to UV radiation, another way
to reduce instances of skin
cancer is by wearing protective
clothing such as long-sleeved
shirts and pants. The Center
for Disease Control (CDC)
has also stated that UV radia-
tion is linked to many com-
mon vision issues such as cata-
racts. To protect against dam-
age from UV radiation, both
the CDC and HHS recom-
mend
brimmed hats and UV-block-
ing sunglasses.
According to American
Cancer Society, wearing sun-
screen is one of the most
important precautionary
Questionsfe^l^^^
Comments? r
Thoughts?
Dear Editor,
On my way to church last Sunday as I came up to the stop
light there was an AP police car in front of me. As I sat there
waiting I was reading what was written on the back of the police
car like www.APpolice.com among other things. I could not help
but think of those police officers that lost their lives in Dallas. It
must really be hard on the families of those officers knowing that
they were gunned down by the same people they swore to serve
and protect. But what really got my attention was 4 words writ-
ten on the back of the police officer’s car “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
I’m surprised that someone, some organization, or the system
hasn’t made them take that off the police car.
So in closing I say respectfully to the City council, the
Mayor, and specially to the police chief do not allow anyone to
make you take those 4 words off because in acknowledging him
in public, he will continue to protect you in public.
Your opinion is something we always want
to hear and we encourage you to share your
questions, comments and thoughts with fel-
low readers and your city officials.
Submit your letter to the editor (up to
200 words) or people speak question,
comment or thought (up to 50 words) to
Memberships:
National Newspaper Association,
Texas Press Association;
South Texas Press Association;
Texas Gulf Coast Press
Association;
Aransas Pass Chamber of Commerce,
Rockport Chamber of Commerce,
Ingleside Chamber of Commerce.
broad-
wearing
editor@aransaspassprogress.com.
Aransas Pass Progress
346 S. Houston • PO Box 2100
Aransas Pass,TX 78336
Phone: 361-758-5391
Fax: 361-758-5393
w ww.a ra nsa s pa ss p rog ress.co m
Aransas Pass Progress & Ingleside Index
346 S. Houston I P.O. Box 2100 I Aransas Pass, TX 78336
361-758-5391
www.aransaspassprogress.com • www.facebook.com/Progresslndex
God Bless
Greg Rangel, Aransas Pass
Continued on page 6
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Aransas Pass Progress (Aransas Pass, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 28, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 13, 2016, newspaper, July 13, 2016; Aransas Pass, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1143941/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Ed & Hazel Richmond Public Library.