My Bio

Brett Griggs for Mayor of Seaboard, NC

A Leader Ready to Transform Seaboard Through Community-Centered Development

I'm Brett Griggs, and I believe that every community—no matter how small, no matter how many challenges it faces—has the potential not just to survive, but to thrive. I've spent over two decades learning this lesson in some of America's most demanding markets: New York City, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, Connecticut, and Richmond, VA. But my education didn't begin in boardrooms or classrooms. It started on the streets of New York City, and in the crucible of systemic challenges that would have broken many people.

I am someone who understands what it means when a community is written off. I know the pain of watching families scattered by circumstances beyond their control. I've lived through the fear of losing the only home you've ever known. But I also know something else—I know the transformative power of authentic leadership, strategic investment, and development done with heart and purpose. When I look at Seaboard today, I don't see a declining rural town. I see my childhood neighborhood as it was before it was gentrified. I see potential waiting to be unlocked, community assets waiting to be strengthened, and residents whose voices deserve to be heard and honored. Most importantly, I see an opportunity to do development right—to create prosperity that includes everyone who calls this place home.

Born in New York City during the height of the 1980s urban crisis, I witnessed firsthand how communities can either collapse under systemic pressure or emerge stronger through authentic leadership and strategic innovation. The convergence of the crack epidemic, HIV/AIDS crisis, and widespread displacement that claimed my entire extended family by age ten didn't break me—it forged an understanding of community resilience that would later revolutionize my approach to community-centered development. Navigating nine different foster placements across New York's most diverse neighborhoods between ages 11 and 18 created an extraordinary foundation for my current work. Each placement—from Jamaican families in Queens to Jewish households on the Upper West Side—developed the cultural competency and adaptive intelligence that now allows me to build coalitions across any demographic divide.

Over fifteen years, I've managed $184 million in assets across 217 properties and seventeen residential communities encompassing 2,887 units with combined annual budgets exceeding $27.7 million. This experience taught me that managing residential communities operates in much the same way as running small towns, requiring the same skills: budget management, infrastructure planning, community engagement, and strategic thinking.

At Veterans-First, a DC-based nonprofit, I transformed a failing system that had only been able to find permanent housing for three veterans per month. By completely redeveloping housing protocols and streamlining processes, we increased that number to 38 veterans per month—representing not just improved statistics. Still, families are reunited, children with stable school addresses, and veterans getting the fresh start they earned through their service. Behind every number was a person's home, their most significant investment, their daily quality of life. I'm ready to bring that same results-driven approach to our town.

WHY SEABOARD, WHY NOW

Seaboard reminds me of my childhood neighborhood before gentrification—a community with incredible potential that needs strategic, sustainable investment. The difference is that this time, we have the opportunity to do development right from the beginning.

Federal and state funding for rural development and sustainable housing is at historic highs. Remote work trends are creating new opportunities for rural communities to compete economically without sacrificing their character. Climate change demands sustainable development models, and the housing affordability crisis requires innovative solutions. All of these forces converge to create a unique window of opportunity.

But opportunities don't wait forever. Rural communities across America are at a crossroads. We can either watch them continue to decline, or we can invest in innovative, sustainable models that create lasting prosperity. The time for action is now because the resources, the technology, and the market conditions may never align this perfectly again.

MY COMMITMENT TO SEABOARD

I'm not a career politician or an outside developer looking to extract value. I'm someone who has lived the challenges that Seaboard faces and has spent two decades developing the skills to address them. I understand what it means to lose a community you love, and I'm committed to ensuring that never happens to Seaboard.

My leadership approach is grounded in community engagement, with every decision beginning with extensive community input. I believe in transparent communication through regular updates, open meetings, and accessible leadership. Success must be measured by data and resident outcomes, not just development metrics. I bring cultural competency from building bridges across different groups and perspectives, always with environmental and economic sustainability as core principles.

THE CHOICE BEFORE US

Seaboard stands at a pivotal moment. We can continue to watch our community slowly decline, or we can embrace an innovative model that creates prosperity while preserving what makes our town special. The EcoNest model isn't just about building houses—it's about building a sustainable future where families can thrive for generations.

I've spent my career learning how to transform challenges into opportunities, how to build coalitions across differences, and how to deliver measurable results under pressure. I've managed the equivalent of small towns, created hundreds of jobs, and helped thousands of families find stable housing.

Now, I'm ready to bring all of that experience home to Seaboard. Together, we can make Seaboard a model for what's possible when authentic leadership meets innovative solutions and community commitment.

READY TO LEAD. READY TO DELIVER. READY NOW.

My experience transforming struggling communities into places where people want to live has prepared me to tackle Seaboard's challenges with practical, proven solutions.

My Key Issues