South Carolina

  • State Data Overview

    Across South Carolina, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low income households (ELI), whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income (AMI). Many of these households are severely cost burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing. Severely cost burdened poor households are more likely than other renters to sacrifice other necessities like healthy food and healthcare to pay the rent, and to experience unstable housing situations like evictions.

    K
    e
    y
    F
    a
    c
    t
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    150,598
    Or
    25%
    Renter households that are extremely low income
    -88,193
    Shortage of rental homes affordable and available for extremely low income renters
    $28,190
    Average income limit for 4-person extremely low income household
    $50,085
    Annual household income needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home at HUD's Fair Market Rent.
    73%
    Percent of extremely low income renter households with severe cost burden
  • State Level Partners

    NLIHC Housing Advocacy Organizer

    Billy Cerullo

    202.662.1530 x219 | [email protected]

    State Partners

    Affordable Housing Coalition of South Carolina

    P.O. Box 1623

    Columbia, SC 29202-1623

    P 803-808-2980

    F 803-996-0551

    www.affordablehousingsc.org

    Steve Adams, Executive Director

    [email protected]

    Become an NLIHC State Partner

    NLIHC’s affiliation with our state coalition partners is central to our advocacy efforts. Although our partners' involvement varies, they are all housing and homeless advocacy organizations engaged at the state and federal level. Many are traditional coalitions with a range of members; others are local organizations that serve more informally as NLIHC's point of contact.

    Inquire about becoming a state partner by contacting [email protected]

    Become a Member
  • Housing Trust Fund
    HTF Implementation Information

    NLIHC continues working with leaders in each state and the District of Columbia who will mobilize advocates in support of HTF allocation plans that benefit ELI renters to the greatest extent possible. Please contact the point person coordinating with NLIHC in your state (below) to find out about the public participation process and how you can be involved. Email Kyle Arbuckle with any questions.

    NHTF logo
    Current Year HTF Allocation
    HTF State Resources

    2020

    2020 Small Rental Development Program (SRDP) Application Manual (PDF) 

    2020 Public Comments and Responses (PDF)

    Draft Final 2020 Annual Action Plan, HTF Allocation Plan on page 104 (PDF) 

    2019

    Although these items were posted by the state for 2019, they apply to the state's 2018 HTF allocation.

    Small Rental Development Program (SRDP) Application Manual  (PDF)

    Draft Action Plan, HTF Allocation Plan pages 46-53 and 84-91 (PDF)

    Small Rental Development Program (SRDP) Webpage 

    2019 SDRP Bulletin 1 (PDF)

    2019 SDRP Bulletin 2 (PDF)

    2019 SDRP Public Comments and Responses (PDF)

    Projects awarded 2018 HTF allocation in 2019 (PDF)

    2018

    Final Action Plan, HTF discussion on pages 47-51 and HTF Allocation Plan on pages 73-80 (PDF)

    Small Rental Development Program (SRDP) Application Manual  (PDF)

    2017

    HTF Awards under the State’s Small Rental Development Program, SRDP (PDF)

    Draft HTF Allocation Plan (PDF)

    Draft 2017 Annual Action Plan (PDF)

    2016

    2017 NHTF Rental Workshop slides (PDF)

    2017 NHTF Rental Manual (PDF)

    HUD-Approved 2016 Allocation Plan (PDF)

    Revised Allocation Plan Submitted August 15, 2016 (PDF)

    Third Draft HTF Allocation Plan by South Carolina Housing Finance Authority 

    Public Comments and Replies from South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (PDF)

    Second Draft HTF Allocation Plan by South Carolina State Housing Finance & Development Authority, released July 13 (PDF)

    Draft HTF Allocation Plan by South Carolina State Housing Finance & Development Authority(PDF)

    HTF Model Allocation Plan (PDF)

    NLIHC Point Person for HTF Advocacy

    Alisa Mosley        

    Executive Director

    Affordable Housing Coalition of South Carolina

    803-808-2980

    [email protected]

    State Designated Entity:

    Eric Alexander

    Multifamily Development Director

    South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing)

    [email protected]

    Official Directly Involved with HTF Implementation:

    Jennifer Cogan

    Acting Director, Development Division

    South Carolina Housing

    803.896.9824

    [email protected]


    State Entity Webpage

    https://www.schousing.com


    NHTF-specific pages

    National Housing Trust Fund

    Small Rental Development Program (SRDP)

  • Resources
    Resources

    Housing Profiles

    State Housing Profile

    State Housing Profile: South Carolina (PDF) (JPG)

    Congressional District Housing Profile

    Congressional District Profile: South Carolina (PDF)

    Research and Data

    National Housing Preservation Database

    The National Housing Preservation Database is an address-level inventory of federally assisted rental housing in the United States.

    Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing

    Out of Reach documents the gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing. In South Carolina and Nationwide

    The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Rental Homes

    The Gap represents data on the affordable housing supply and housing cost burdens at the national, state, and metropolitan levels. In South Carolina and Nationwide

  • Take Action
    Urge Congress to Enact Historic Housing Investments!
    Urge Congress to Pass a Budget with Increased Investments in Affordable Homes
  • COVID-19 Resources
    COVID-19 Resources

    NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

    In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

    You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]

    COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

    Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

    Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:


    No information at this time.

    Charleston County temporarily stopped taking applications for rental assistance on October 7 after distributing nearly all available funds. The pause is meant to prevent a backlog of applications that exceeds the amount of available assistance. The county expects to resume accepting applications when it receives additional federal funds.

    Updated on October 19, 2021


    The Charleston City Paper reports housing organizations and advocacy groups throughout South Carolina are seeing staggering numbers of renters at risk of eviction after the end of the federal eviction moratorium. Nearly 740,000 households in the state are behind on rent or report low confidence in their ability to pay rent.
    Updated on September 27, 2021


    The Post and Courier reports that the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority has not distributed any of the $271 million it received for federal rent and utility assistance. The authority started taking applications the first week in May and is currently processing about 5,000 applications, but it has not yet distributed any aid. 
    Updated on June 14, 2021


    Within one week of launching the S.C. Stay rental and mortgage assistance program, more than 7,000 people had applied for aid. Nearly 5,000 of those applicants were deemed eligible, and housing officials think those 5,000 will exhaust the existing federal rent relief funds. The SC Stay program was funded through $25 million in CDBG-CV funds. South Carolina will receive $340 million in rent relief from the most recent COVID-19 relief legislation. Up to 180,000 renters in South Carolina are at risk for eviction when the moratorium is lifted on March 31.

    Updated on March 31, 2021


    Housing advocates are bracing for a wave of evictions in Horry County, which has the highest unsheltered homeless population in the state. An estimated 35% to 52% of families across South Carolina will be at risk of losing their homes when the federal eviction moratorium is lifted at the end of January, with communities of color disproportionately harmed by the eviction crisis.

    Updated on January 25, 2021


    An article in the State discusses actions Midlands area homeless service providers have taken to protect the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness. 

    Updated on October 19, 2020


    Housing assistance organizations in Greenville County have been receiving non-stop phone calls requesting assistance. Local housing experts estimated that 43% of South Carolina tenants were at risk of eviction after the statewide moratorium ended in May. 

    Despite the federal eviction moratorium, Myrtle Beach shelters are bracing for an increase in the need for shelter. 

    Even with the federal moratorium, housing and homeless service providers in Horry County are concerned about an increase in evictions and homelessness. The Eastern Carolina Housing Organization has seen a 139% increase in requests for homeless prevention assistance this August compared to August of 2019. 

    Updated on September 15, 2020


    Myrtle Beach Online reports that the Eastern Carolina Housing Organization, which typically serves about 30 people per month, assisted 84 households in June and between 70-75 in July. Since South Carolina’s eviction moratorium ended in mid-May, more than 1,300 evictions have been filed in Horry County.

    Updated on September 2, 2020.


    According to the magistrate courts in Tri-County, hundreds of evictions have been filed since South Carolina’s eviction moratorium was lifted May 14. Organizations have seen a sharp increase in the number of requests for rent, mortgage, and utility payment assistance.

    NBC examines South Carolina’s looming eviction crisis as a result of the pandemic. Before COVID-19, South Carolina faced a long-term housing crisis and had the highest eviction rate in the country. According to Stout research, 52% of renter households in South Carolina are at risk of eviction, and NLIHC research indicates that the state’s rental assistance needs will grow to nearly $835 million.

    The Sun News spoke with three Horry County residents facing housing insecurity amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    Updated on August 19, 2020.


    The Deep Well Project, a nonprofit financial assistance organization on Hilton Head Island, says non-profits have been able to support people on the verge of eviction. But in more rural areas, such financial help may not be available. South Carolina has the country’s highest eviction filing rate, at 18.7%, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.

    Updated on August 11, 2020.


    Eviction filings in South Carolina have been rising since the end of May, when the state’s eviction moratorium expired. Now that the federal eviction moratorium expired on July 24, advocates are preparing for an avalanche of eviction filings. 

    The Eastern Carolina Housing Organization will use funding from the CARES Act to help people facing eviction in the 13 counties it serves. Applications are available online at: www.echousing.org/get-help

    Updated on August 4, 2020.


    The South Carolina Housing Authority allocated $5 million to an emergency rental assistance program. The authority had $5 million in an emergency fund, and the money comes from bonds sold by the authority, not taxpayers. The program will be administered through SC Thrive, a statewide nonprofit organization. Eligible households could receive a one-time payment up to $1,500 made directly to landlords.


    Nearly 60 individuals experiencing homelessness in Mecklenburg County are suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19.

    Charleston County

    With the unemployment rate in North Charleston now five times greater than pre-COVID levels and no eviction moratorium in place, advocates and tenants are concerned about a surge in evictions that could overwhelm the court system. The Charleston County Magistrate courts received 120 new eviction filings in the first two days of the moratorium being lifted.

    Updated on June 29, 2020.

    Spartanburg County

    Spartanburg County will receive $919,036 in Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds. The Upstate Family Resource Center, one of 14 agencies in the county to receive CARES Act funding, will receive $188,634 to provide rent, mortgage, and utility payments to households impacted by the pandemic.

    Updated on June 22, 2020.

    Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.


    NBC examines South Carolina’s looming eviction crisis as a result of the pandemic. Before COVID-19, South Carolina faced a long-term housing crisis and had the highest eviction rate in the country. According to Stout research, 52% of renter households in South Carolina are at risk of eviction, and NLIHC research indicates that the state’s rental assistance needs will grow to nearly $835 million.

    Updated: August 28


    In South Carolina, 52 percent of renter households can't pay their rent and are at risk of eviction. About 185,000 evictions could be filed in the state over the next four months.

    Updated: August 12


    State Supreme Court issued an order to resume evictions (remotely) on May 15.  Eviction hearings are being conducted remotely and in person. 

    Updated: July 31


    In the third week of July, 27.6% of adults in South Carolina reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 292,410 renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment.

    Updated: July 29


    South Carolina – already the #1 state for evictions – is bracing for a surge in eviction cases. According to a weekly survey by the Census, 27% of adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment. 

    Charleston

    By May 17, 120 evictions were filed in Charleston. “Self-help” evictions are increasing. 

    June 23

    Updated: July 16

    COVID-19 Resources Other

    National Media

    What to Know About Housing and Rent During the COVID-19 Emergency? https://tinyurl.com/y74ox85d

    Arbor Realty Trust launched an innovative $2 million rental assistance program to help thousands of tenants and families significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Arbor is contributing $1 million to the program and participating borrowers will match Arbor's advances to its tenants in need to help fill the rent gap during the hard-hit months of May and June. Together, the partnership program will provide $2 million in relief. https://tinyurl.com/y9r6x9vb