Lt. Governor Bauer and State Legislators form the first Workforce and Affordable Housing CAUCUS
Lt. Governor Bauer and State Legislators form the first Workforce and Affordable Housing CAUCUS
Columbia, SC– Lt. Governor André Bauer said more than 50 legislators have joined a new affordable and workforce housing caucus.
The caucus, an outgrowth of the Lt. Governor’s Special Task Force on Affordable Housing, will meet April 9 in Room 321 of the Blatt Building. The caucus was organized by Rep. Harold Mitchell (D-Spartanburg), who chairs the task force.
“One of the primary goals of the caucus is to educate the members of the General Assembly. Affordable housing is more extensive than most people realize. It is not public housing but rather a resource for the working sector of our state,” said Representative Mitchell.
Valarie Williams, South Carolina Finance and Development Authority director, presented a report on the statewide impact of affordable and workforce housing at the first caucus meeting on Feb. 27, and Tammie Hoy of the Lowcountry Housing Trust in Charleston also made a presentation on the current status of Affordable Housing in South Carolina. The event was well-attended by House and Senate members of both parties from communities across the state.
The purpose of the South Carolina Workforce and Affordable Housing Special Interest Caucus is to assist in providing South Carolina legislators with the information that they need to ensure that affordable, safe, and quality housing is accessible and available for all South Carolinians. The increasing cost of housing combined with stagnant incomes and a limited supply of workforce and affordable housing has made it difficult for modest income residents in our state to find decent and affordable housing. Many hardworking individuals that are instrumental to the functioning of the community are being priced out. To ensure our economic competitiveness in the marketplace and to preserve our overall quality of life, we must work in a collaborative effort to create and support statewide initiatives that generate housing choices for all South Carolinians.
Data indicate that one in three households spends over 30 percent of their incomes on housing, with many spending over 50 percent. With housing prices rising faster than per capita income, individuals and families that are over-spending on housing may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation, and health care. These individuals and families are also forced to move further away from economic and employment centers in order to find housing that is affordable. This phenomenon creates regional sprawl and increases costly infrastructure needs such as roads and sewer lines. The availability of affordable housing is also crucial in the economic development of South Carolina as we attempt to recruit businesses and corporations that are increasingly concerned with the availability and proximity of affordable housing.
The Workforce and Affordable Housing Caucus will work closely with the South Carolina Affordable Housing Study Committee under the Lt. Governor’s Office and other organizations to achieve the following:
· Increase education and awareness of workforce and affordable housing issues throughout the state
· Increase workforce and affordable housing supple through production and funding opportunities
· Identify and reduce regulatory barriers to the development of workforce and affordable housing
· Identify and support legislation that promotes the increased development of workforce and affordable housing
· Improve the coordination of housing planning, policy, and programs
· Increase the workforce and affordable housing supply in rural and underserved communities throughout the state
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