Housing was a challenge for BMH employee before hospital stepped in
By David Miller
Special to The Island News
Chayanne Celiant came to Beaufort looking to enjoy the Lowcountry lifestyle and pursue an opportunity to further her medical experience at Beaufort Memorial while finishing her bachelor’s degree. Moving in with her best friend was meant to only be a temporary situation for Chayanne and her 5-year-old son Kingsley.
However she was unaware of the challenges of finding an affordable rental in the area.
“Beaufort is so expensive, especially for a single mom looking for a two-bedroom place on a single income,” she said, acknowledging that realization made her uncertain about her future in Beaufort. “I didn’t know how I was going to pay $2,500 a month for a two-bedroom place nearby. I was starting to kind of panic.”
Chayanne joined the Beaufort Memorial Emergency Department as an ER Patient Care Technician at the beginning of 2023 and quickly became a valued part of the team. Nursing staff, physicians and advanced practice providers rely on her and the other ER technicians to help keep the flow of patients running smoothly by monitoring vitals, collecting samples for lab tests, attending to patients’ comfort and providing other needed assistance.
While she enjoyed the job, she was seriously considering a move to Florida or Wisconsin with family, until she discovered what was to be her employer’s first step into workforce rental housing.
Chayanne was one of over two dozen Beaufort Memorial employees who qualified and applied for the opportunity to be included in a lottery for a deeply discounted rental property that the hospital had secured from Beaufort County.
When she received the news that her name was drawn, she was in disbelief.
“I’m super thankful for the rental opportunity,” she said. “There are a lot of employees – single mom or single dad families or people who are in tough situations – that could really benefit from more housing in the area. I’m really hoping that Beaufort Memorial is able to do more to help other employees.”
That is certainly the intent of hospital leadership.
“One house isn’t really going to make a dent in the overall problem that we have here in Beaufort,” Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell Baxley said. “This was a small step towards addressing the housing affordability crisis in Beaufort County. We’re continuing to move forward with multiple initiatives to help employees struggling with the high cost of living and lack of affordable housing in the area.”
Since the beginning of 2022, Beaufort Memorial has been looking for ways to make home ownership more affordable for employees.
So far, there have been six employees who have taken advantage of a buyer-assistance program that offers up to $10,000 towards a down payment or closing costs on a home purchase in the area. And the hospital continues to pursue other workforce housing efforts, including partnering with a developer to build affordable housing units for employees north and south of the Broad River.
In addition to housing initiatives, Beaufort Memorial also partnered with Hobbit Hill Preschools in 2021 to open The Learning Center, a subsidized childcare and remote-learning center for children of hospital staff. The daycare is set to move in to a newly constructed, freestanding location within walking distance of the hospital’s main campus before the end of the year.
As for Chayanne, now settled into her new home, she is grateful for the opportunity to provide a better life for her son and work toward her ultimate goal of becoming a physician assistant.
“This opportunity gave me the ability to stay here and stay at a job that I actually like in a city that I actually like,” she explained. “Being able to have personal space for my son and me, just to have and build our bond, it’s great. And it’s so close to Beaufort Memorial!”
“I’m glad we’ve made such a difference in Chayanne’s life,” said Baxley. “And I’m looking forward to making this kind of a difference for many others.”
