Charleston knows it has a housing problem. And now, city leaders are betting that zoning — done differently — can be part of the fix.
City officials are developing a new workforce housing district aimed squarely at meeting an ambitious goal: 3,500 new affordable housing units by 2032. The proposal, set to go before the Planning Commission on Jan. 21, would mark a sharp departure from the city’s current approach.
Instead of affordability that fades with time — or can be bought out altogether — this new district would require that at least half of all units remain affordable forever, according to the proposal reported by Post & Courier.
Mayor William Cogswell has said the city plans to apply the zoning to land it already owns, along with roughly 50 acres controlled by the Charleston Housing Authority and several redevelopment-ready sites along Morrison Drive. These parcels are already in play — the new zoning would simply set stricter rules for what rises there.
How it’s different — and why it matters
Charleston already has workforce housing zoning on the books. But under current rules, only 20 percent of units must be affordable, and developers can opt out by paying fees or donating land. Even then, affordability requirements expire after 30 years.
This new district closes those loopholes.
Special advisor Josh Martin said the proposal is meant to be another tool to help the city and its partners build housing stock “it desperately needs,” according to Post & Courier.
The affordability itself is carefully tiered, based on area median income limits set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The breakdown spans a wide range — from individuals earning up to $93,150 a year down to those making $46,620 — ensuring projects include residents across income levels.
As Councilman Ross Appel put it, Post & Courier reports, “So it’s 50 percent market, 50 percent below market. It’s every rung of the economic scale as part of a singular development.”
Who this is meant to serve
Appel, who chairs City Council’s Community Development Committee, said the mix is intentional. Teachers. Nurses. First responders. Restaurant and hotel workers. The people who keep Charleston running — and increasingly can’t afford to live near where they work.
The bigger hope? That city-led projects can prove the model works.
“We’re just trying to set the stage to facilitate these affordable housing projects coming out of the ground in a way that works economically for the developer,” Appel said, according to Post & Courier. “Because, ultimately, we want private developers to be building this housing.”
That won’t be optional. Appel acknowledged it would be nearly impossible for the city to meet its housing goals on its own.
Morrison Drive and what comes next
The proposal also fits into a broader push along Morrison Drive. Last month, City Council approved an $18 million purchase of a former International Longshoreman’s Association office building there — choosing it over nearby county-owned parcels.
Martin said the city remains committed to partnering with Charleston County on affordable housing near the Charleston Tech Center and Revelry Brewing Co. Council has already taken one key step by removing an overlay that previously blocked housing on the site, Post & Courier reported.
For Charleston, the message is clear: affordability isn’t an add-on anymore. It’s becoming the point.
This is a summary of an article published in the Post & Courier. Click here if you’d like to read that article.
