Tremont Consultants performed a housing needs assessment for the following
counties: Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Cherokee, Laurens, Union, Pickens,
Oconee, Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, Edgefield, and Saluda.
This 13 county area was found to have 516,000 households.
- 52,000 of these households have less than $10,000 in income per year.
- 33,000 of these households have income between $10,000-15,000 per year.
In other words, 16.4% of the households in the Upstate have income that is less
than $15,000 per year. This gives a new definition to affordable housing.
Many think that public housing is the answer. However, the public housing sector
cannot meet the demand for housing for these counties. The Greenville Housing Authority
has 1,245 households and 2,765 on its waiting list. The Section 8 program in Greenville
has 2,426 vouchers that are currently being used and an additional 1,597 on the waiting
list. At least 1,061 one and two bedroom units are needed.
A conclusion made by Tremont Consultants is that in the next 10 years, 250 one and
two bedroom housing units will have to be built in the Upstate each year to meet
the demand for those who make less than $15,000 per year.
