MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (WCSC) - A nonprofit working to bring what they’re calling ‘attainable housing’ to Mount Pleasant has requested an additional $50,000 from the town for its efforts.
Last year, the town approved a grant for the same amount.
The newly formed nonprofit “Housing for All Mount Pleasant” says 72 percent of people who work in Mount Pleasant don’t live there.
The nonprofit was developed from an Affordable Housing Taskforce created by the former Mayor of Mount Pleasant.
The director of Operations for the nonprofit, Melissa Moore, grew up in the area.
“The first responders, the teachers, the people who work in hospitality have to live in places like Summerville and Goose Creek, and that’s part of the reason why there’s so much traffic congestion,” Moore said.
The group says it’s looking to create housing for people who make less than 120 percent of the area medium income. That means they are looking to create housing for a person who makes less than $57,000 a year and for a family of four making less than $82,000.
They say the attainable housing stock should include a mix of single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments. The $50,000 the town has already approved was used in part for operating costs and to get nonprofit certification.
The group says it needs $50,000 more to continue its mission by educating the public about the needs and to have an attainable housing project underway by 2020.
One of the members of the taskforce says the nonprofit is doing work for the town that the City of Charleston, North Charleston and Charleston County does with their own staff.
“We’re talking to developers, we’re talking to private land owners, we’re also talking to existing apartment owners to look at the stock that exists and potential for existing units to become attainable.”
On Monday, the finance committee made a motion to provide $50,000 in matching funds
That motion will have to be approved by town council at a later time to go into effect.
A finance committee member suggested that the nonprofit appoint a council member to work as a liaison.
The nonprofit supports the idea and they believe it will help align their strategies.
If you’d like to learn more about the organization or donate to their efforts you can visit www.housingforallmtp.com
Copyright 2019 WCSC. All rights reserved.