CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The City of Charleston has an outlined plan that could lead to building upwards of 3,500 new affordable housing units in the coming years to address affordability and livability issues in the heart of downtown.
An expert analysis told the city that to address some of the housing issues, it would need to provide 3,500 new units between 2024 and 2031. As of August 2025, the city has completed 178 new units, and there are 969 new units in development, meaning construction or permitting.
That leaves thousands still to be built to reach the goal set by the experts. In a community development meeting, Mayor William Cogswell outlined a city efforted plan to make more units happen. City staff assessed land owned by the city to see if there are places that could be developed or redeveloped into housing…