Charleston 'moving mountains' on workforce housing projects

Coming workforce housing projects across the Lowcountry may give some people the chance to rent in places they may have been priced out of as rents have gone up more than a third in the last two years.

Workforce housing, a branch under the policy tree of affordable housing, refers to housing specifically designed for people to live close to their place of work. Rent is typically capped and locations often save residents money on travel expenses. And while most affordable housing projects target people making 60% or less of the median income, workforce housing in Charleston targets everyone making between 80% and 120% of the median income.

“Charleston is kind of unique in that … there’s only a few cities in South Carolina that have the kind of income range that we have,” said Charleston Housing Authority CEO Arthur Miligan. “It’s definitely meant to put people who have a job that are working and earning an income somewhere they can afford.

“We look at it like, you have to have police, but if all of the police have to drive from out of town to get here, they’re going to start thinking, ‘Maybe I can get a job where I am,’ [and] then suddenly, we no longer have police,” he said.

In Charleston, the median individual income hovers around $40,000 per year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Meanwhile, the average cost of rent is about $2,000 per month. This means the average renter in Charleston would spend more than half his or her total income on housing.

“That person is going to have a very hard time finding a place to live comfortably in Charleston,” Milligan said.

More than a hundred affordable units available

There are more than 5,500 affordable housing units in Charleston, according to Geona Shaw Johnson, the city’s director of housing and community development. Of those, about 150 are designated as workforce housing right now.

Some are designated for residents who make below 80% of the median income (or about $32,000 per year): Crowne at Live Oak Square on Johns Island (26 units), 511 Meeting St. downtown (33 units), 1000 West in West Ashley (24 units), 26 Blake St. downtown (one unit), Off Line Court downtown (six units).

Two complexes allow residents who make up to 120% of the median income (or about $48,000 per year): Overture in West Ashley (33 units) and Sanctuary Court downtown (four units). And one complex requires residents to make below 60% of the median income: Morrison Yard downtown (19 units).

Residents can find more information about affordable housing options and apply for housing at charleston-sc.gov.

Big housing improvements made, coming

Affordable housing has been a hot topic for several years in the Lowcountry, but until recently, workforce housing hasn’t been on the table as much, Milligan said. But that’s starting to change.

“If you look at Charleston now compared to the last decade or so, we’re moving mountains,” he said. “The city, the county, entrepreneurs, there’s a lot of people thinking and talking about this now and considering how they’re going to get properties subsidized so they can have workforce housing.”

On May 17, the S.C. Senate passed S. 284, a bill that promotes the development of workforce housing.

“Access to affordable housing is a critical issue in the Lowcountry as our economy continues to grow,” S.C. Rep. J.A. Moore, D-Berkeley, said in a statement following the bill’s passage.
“I was proud to support S. 284, which allows revenue from the local accommodations tax to be used for affordable workforce housing.

“These new funds will help our community get more affordable housing projects off the ground and incentivize more individuals to build affordable housing,” he said. “The passage of this bill sends a message that our state is serious about affordable housing.”

Johnson said the city does not have any specific goals outlined for workforce housing, but that the city is constantly analyzing market conditions to determine its next milestone.

“We don’t have a separate category for workforce and affordable housing,” she said. “We are seeking to build and to meet housing needs across the board. Both of those are critically important to our community.”

More than 1,000 affordable housing projects are currently in the pipeline in the city of Charleston, she said.