The attainable housing crisis impacts everyone in our region, leading to struggles finding safe, affordable and stable housing. It also increases traffic, creates workforce shortages and puts a strain on infrastructure.
The Charleston region must increase the production of housing units, creating a diverse housing stock to ensure all residents, whether buying or renting, have access to attainable homes.
Key Strategies:
- Increase Housing Supply: Support policies and market-driven solutions that encourage the development of diverse and attainable housing options region-wide.
- Reduce Regulatory Barriers: Advocate for streamlining regulations and permitting processes to accelerate housing development.
- Promote Transit-Oriented Development: Support housing development near job centers, amenities and transit lines to enhance affordability and accessibility.
- Support Housing Investment Funds: Advocate for the creation and funding of tools to address the region’s housing challenges.
See how we're addressing Attainable Housing
Meet Amanda Matsumoto
A passionate speech therapist within our public school district, Amanda is a young professional who values the importance of living in the community where she works. Working with students, both as a speech therapist and softball coach, she seeks to build a supportive network within the community she serves.
However, the reality of affordable housing being located further away presents a significant challenge. Instead of seeking balance, many find themselves spending valuable time commuting. Amanda, like many others, encountered this obstacle, finding it frustrating that suitable housing options were scarce within her budget. Witnessing peers resorting to drastic measures like relocating or taking on a second job solely to affordable housing, Amanda recognizes the critical challenge facing our region.
Amanda remained determined and discovered a workforce housing opportunity in her desired area. Currently in the process of purchasing her first home, she realizes the importance of this opportunity plays in her ability to remain an active member of her community. Without this option, she would have been faced with the difficult decision of either leaving her job or enduring the strain of a challenging commute. Amanda's journey underscores the importance of attainable housing in enabling professionals to not only thrive in their careers but also actively contribute to their communities.
Help Shape the Legacy of Our Region
Invest TodayTo measure where we are today—and where we need to go—we’ve developed the People First Scorecard, in partnership with Truist Charitable Fund. This tool provides key metrics across each pillar, offering clear, data-driven insights to track progress, guide action and inform future decision-making. An overview of additional regional data points is also included to offer a broader view of our region’s current landscape.
