by 
By Mark A Leon
As housing costs continue to pressure working families, seniors and young professionals, Charleston County’s affordable housing efforts are increasingly focused on expanding supply, preserving existing homes and creating opportunities for residents to remain in the communities they call home.
Charleston County’s housing affordability challenge is about more than the price of a home. It is about whether teachers, hospitality workers, healthcare professionals, first responders, retirees and other essential members of the community can afford to live near the places where they work and serve.
Across the Charleston region, local governments, nonprofit organizations and private developers are pursuing projects intended to expand affordable rental housing, support homeownership and redevelop properties for residents who might otherwise be priced out of the Lowcountry.
The critical question is which projects are actively moving forward, how many homes they will deliver and when residents can expect to benefit.
1. Eastside Flats: 52 planned affordable apartments
One of the developments to watch is Eastside Flats, a proposed apartment community on Aiken Street in downtown Charleston. The Humanities Foundation is pursuing the project, which would create 52 apartments with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes.
In September 2026, Charleston County considered redirecting $1 million in federal pandemic-relief funding to help the nonprofit acquire three parcels from the city. The land purchase would be an important first step toward securing additional financing through the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
The project is still in the financing and acquisition stage, rather than an active construction site. Its progress will depend on the funding and approvals needed to move forward.
2. Rivers Landing: 165 apartments in North Charleston
North Charleston is also positioned to gain additional housing through Rivers Landing, a proposed five-story apartment complex with 165 units.
Announced in April 2026, the development is part of Charleston County’s tax-abatement initiative, which offers qualifying developers property-tax incentives in exchange for including affordable housing.
Under the reported arrangement, at least 18 apartments would be designated affordable for households earning up to 60% of the area median income. Qualifying residents would pay no more than 30% of their household income toward rent.
The county’s approach reflects an effort to make new construction financially feasible while ensuring that some apartments remain within reach of lower-income residents. The project was still advancing through the county’s approval process when announced, so its construction schedule and eventual leasing dates warrant further confirmation.
3. Cordelia on Rivers: 53 workforce apartments
Another North Charleston development, Cordelia on Rivers, is designed to address the needs of residents who earn too much to qualify for some traditional housing assistance but still struggle with market-rate rents.
The 129-unit community includes 53 apartments designated for workforce housing. Of those, 21 are intended for households earning below 60% of the area median income, while the workforce-housing allocation overall targets households earning below 80%.
Reported monthly rents for the designated workforce apartments are expected to range from $1,200 to $1,700, depending on the applicable unit and income category.
The development is near the planned Lowcountry Rapid Transit corridor, potentially giving residents better access to employment centers without depending entirely on a car.
Cordelia on Rivers is part of the county’s Attainable Housing Tax Abatement Program. At the time of the March 2026 announcement, construction was anticipated to follow the developer’s property closing, with an estimated 18-month-to-two-year building period. That timeline should be verified before prospective renters make plans.
4. Poinsette Apartments: Housing for older Charlestonians
Affordable housing is also essential for seniors living on fixed incomes. The proposed Poinsette Apartments, at 55 Lee Street in Charleston, are intended to help meet that need.
The Humanities Foundation is leading the approximately $33 million project, which calls for 88 apartments, including 66 affordable units for residents aged 55 and older. Twenty units are planned to serve fixed-income residents through project-based rental assistance.
The City of Charleston approved $2 million toward getting the project started. Plans also include five units for residents living with HIV or AIDS who need additional support.
The project is an example of affordable housing designed around a specific population rather than simply increasing the total apartment supply. In June 2026, officials anticipated construction beginning in the following months and completion in 2027.
However, stormwater management has been a concern raised by nearby residents because of the area’s flood exposure. Addressing drainage and flood resilience will be important to the project’s long-term success.
5. Morrison Drive: A major mixed-income opportunity
The City of Charleston took a significant step toward its broader housing goals in August 2026, purchasing the 2.44-acre property at 899 Morrison Drive for $18 million.
The site is intended for approximately 190 mixed-use, mixed-income homes under the city’s Project 3500 initiative, which aims to add a net 3,500 affordable and attainable homes by 2032.
The city’s strategy is to complete early design and approval work itself before partnering with private developers. By reducing uncertainty and delays, officials hope to make construction less expensive and more attractive to development partners.
The property was selected in part for its proximity to employment centers and public transit, as well as its relatively favorable position regarding flood exposure compared with more vulnerable locations on the peninsula.
The project is not yet a completed housing community. Design, engineering, public engagement and the selection of development partners remain important steps toward delivery. Nevertheless, city ownership of the site gives officials greater control over how the land is ultimately used.
6. Cooper River Courts and Meeting Street Manor: A large-scale redevelopment
The Charleston Housing Authority is pursuing another potentially transformative initiative with the planned redevelopment of Cooper River Courts and Meeting Street Manor.
In August 2026, the authority and Atlanta-based developer Integral reached an agreement to advance redevelopment plans that could produce approximately 1,545 mixed-income homes across the two properties.
The initiative could make a substantial contribution to the city’s long-term affordable housing objectives. However, the development remains a major undertaking, and a definitive construction schedule and complete details of the revised agreement were not publicly established in the reporting available at the time.
The key measure of success will be whether the redevelopment expands housing options while protecting residents’ interests and delivering meaningful, lasting affordability.
Funding the next generation of affordable homes
Beyond individual developments, Charleston County is investing in financing mechanisms designed to help projects become reality.
In February 2026, the county announced that its Housing Our Future Trust Fund had awarded $6.6 million to four projects expected to produce nearly 200 affordable and workforce homes. Established with the South Carolina Community Loan Fund, the revolving loan program supports acquisition, rehabilitation, new construction and predevelopment.
The bottom line
Charleston County’s affordable housing pipeline includes new apartments, senior housing, workforce rentals and large-scale redevelopment. Yet an announced project is not the same as a completed home. Land acquisition, financing, permitting, construction and leasing can each introduce delays.
For residents, the most important questions remain straightforward: How many homes will actually be delivered? What income levels will qualify? What will rents or purchase prices be? And when will applications open?
The Lowcountry’s long-term affordability will depend not only on ambitious targets, but on turning those plans into homes that local workers, families and seniors can genuinely afford.
Reporting note: Project statuses and figures reflect publicly available information reviewed as of October 29, 2026. Proposed unit counts and anticipated schedules are subject to change. Readers should confirm current construction status, income requirements and application availability with the relevant agencies or developers.
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