Life's Not So Different in Charleston

I’m back from my long business trip to South Carolina. I spent eight days working with the Citistates Group (www.citistates.com) in researching and analyzing growth patterns in metropolitan Charleston and what could be done about them.

At first Charleston seemed so different – so historic and Southern. But guess what?

* Home prices are going up faster than people’s incomes because of an influx of affluent outsiders.

* Sprawl is rampant.

* Some local governments are trying to build infill projects to combat sprawl but get resistance from people who live nearby.

* Neighbors say the local governments don’t listen to what they want, and developers claim the permit approval process is a nightmare.

It wasn’t long before I felt right at home.