Howard Heights residents need more money to move out

Harley Thompson pictured himself and his wife moving to a clean, safe neighborhood, far from the stench and ash of the county's trash incinerator.

He imagined himself and his neighbors in the tiny Howard Heights neighborhood along Spruill Avenue in North Charleston finally able to quit worrying about the proposed expansion of the Port of Charleston, which will pump a tremendous amount of pollution over the Neck Area.

His hopes rested on the price North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey would offer him for his home.

They were dashed when the city offered him just $80,000 for his three-bedroom, 1950s house, which sits on less than a quarter-acre. It simply wasn't enough to move.

Summey said he's willing to continue to negotiate with the current residents of Howard Heights, even though they didn't individually schedule time to speak with city employees about their property on Dec. 22 as he had requested.

"They're in a bad situation," Summey said. "They're sitting in limbo."

Rev. Bernard Brown, the spokesman for the residents who also received an offer of $80,000 for his home, said "We'll keep talking and see what we can come up with."