By Yvonda A. Bean
CEO, Columbia Housing 2024 is going to be a banner year for Columbia Housing. In April 2024, Columbia Housing will celebrate its 90th anniversary and the rich history that comes along with it.
The beginnings of Columbia Housing Authority can be traced to the early 1930s as the country was working its way out of The Great Depression triggered by the Stock Market Crash of 1929. To get the country moving again–President Franklin Delano Roosevelt launched The New Deal—a comprehensive plan to provide relief for the needy; economic recovery; and financial reform. Creating safe, sanitary, and affordable housing to replace slums was a cornerstone of those efforts.
Roosevelt signed the National Housing Act in 1934. In April of 1934, the Columbia City Council adopted a resolution to create one of the first public housing authorities in America–the Housing Authority of Columbia (today’s Columbia Housing.) They immediately appointed a 5-member volunteer housing committee to look at ways to eradicate slum conditions. Today, 90-years later, Columbia Housing is the single largest provider of affordable housing in South Carolina.
In addition to celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2024, Columbia Housing will bring 435 new energy-efficient, state-of-the-arts affordable housing units online with three new developments. The Haven at Palmer Point at Carter Street and Two Notch; Oak Terrace at Lyons Street and Forest Drive;
The future is very bright for Columbia Housing.
But Columbia Housing’s bright future is a stark contrast to its dark past from just 5 years ago when in January 2019, two Columbia Housing residents died of carbon monoxide poisoning at the now demolished Allen Benedict Court public housing community. What happened at Columbia Housing was a tragedy felt across the nation. The erosion of public trust was evident.
When I accepted the opportunity to help rebuild the agency—I relied on the power of partnerships and intentional relationships to help provide the agency with what it needed. Here are some examples:
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We partner with Midlands Technical College to provide our residents with free tuition, workforce training, and placement opportunities. That’s the power of partnerships.
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We are partnering with Mungo Construction and Brinshore Development to build
more than 450 workers now employed at this Lowcountry aluminum plant, unserved communities in Orangeburg, Berkeley, and Clarendon counties benefit directly.
In addition, President Biden and Vice President Harris have shown tremendous leadership in standing up to countries that seek to do America harm and hurt our domestic industries, including aluminum. State owned Russian aluminum producers provide military and financial backing to Russia’s brutal assault against the people of Ukraine. In 2023, President Biden imposed a 200 % tariff on imports of aluminum from Russia. Unfortunately, Russian aluminum continues to flood the global commodity exchange distorting global pricing, America’s aluminum producers are still under pressure and one just recently announced closure. The Biden Administration must act to prevent Russia from benefiting from its invasion of Ukraine while injuring American producers and reimpose sanctions on Russia’s largest aluminum producer.
Here at home, President Biden’s accomplishments are positively impacting South Carolina families. While the Section 232 tariffs are helping to create new good-paying jobs for African American communities, the President has also eliminated “$137 billion in student loan debt and capped insulin for seniors at $35 a month.”
This Saturday, February 3rd, marks the country’s first 2024 Democratic Primary right here in South Carolina. Let’s set the precedent for the rest of the country and support the leaders who are helping not only the people of South Carolina but all Americans, whether white, black, old, or young. Now is the time to stand with President Biden. Let’s support the reelection of President Biden and Vice President Harris so they can finish the job.
Senator Darrell Jackson is a Democratic member of the South Carolina Senate, representing District 21.
more than \overline { { $ 100 } } million in affordable housing construction currently underway. That’s the power of partnerships.
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We monitor the health and well-being of Columbia Housing’s oldest residents, through a partnership with Prisma Health and its PACE program. The program helps our older residents stay current with medications, have regular doctor’s visits, and increase physical activity. That’s the power of partnerships.
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We partnered with U.S. Congressman James Clyburn worked to secured $3 million in federal funding for development through the U.S. Community Project Funding Program. That’s the power of partnerships.
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2024 Columbia Housing will invest $83M to work with construction partners McCrory Construction; and Liberty Construction to renovate the following 850 properties: Lewis Scott Court, Hammond Village, Rosewood Hills, Celia Saxon, Harbor Cove and 18 scattered site projects. Again, that’s the power of partnerships.
With all the progress— more needs to be done. More partners are needed to help build housing and advocate for more housing resources.
As Columbia Housing continues to look for more ways to bring quality units online, we encourage others to join our efforts to create more affordable housing. There is a tremendous need for more housing in this part of the state; yet the supply is very limited. The more diversified the housing offerings are– the better the quality of life will be for all Midlands citizens.