Evan Peter Smith – September 10, 2020

Greenville-based nonprofit Homes of Hope is set to bring 270 affordable single-family homes to South Carolina, including 120 in Greenville County and 45 in Spartanburg.

The new homes, some already under construction, will be completed over the next two years, according to Homes of Hope President Don Oglesby.

“I’m biased, of course, but to me it’s a good sign that there’s affordable housing that’s scaling up and not down, even in the midst of this health and economic downturn,” Oglesby said.

Plans call for three-bedroom, two-bath homes ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 square feet. Prices will be determined based on applicant need, but families can expect to pay no more than 30% of their income for housing. Rent prices can range from $500 up to $995 a month, depending on income factors of the family, while sales prices range from $135,000 to $175,000.

The homes in Greenville County will be built in three mixed-income subdivisions on parcels ranging from 9 to 15 acres, Oglesby said. The subdivisions will be located in Travelers Rest, Berea, and between Mauldin and Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research.

“We’re going to develop these subdivisions completely with new roads, sewer and water, so they’re not an existing lot,” Oglesby said. “And we say mixed-income subdivisions, because it’s really important to us that the housing that’s slated for low- to moderate-income families is indistinguishable from market homes.”

Homes of Hope expects to begin construction in Greenville County within the next 90 days, Oglesby said, and each subdivision will be completed in increments of five houses at a time, with all homes finished within two years.

The other 105 homes planned for South Carolina will be located in Columbia and Charleston.

Signups to be considered for a home are not yet available.

“We don’t pre-sign anybody up just yet, because of the length of time between now and when many of the homes will be completed,” Oglesby said. “But we know the demand is high. With many people struggling right now, hopefully having access to affordable housing will lead to some economic mobility for folks.”

Read the original article on greenvillejournal.com