At CAJM, we believe that everybody deserves a roof over their head. We have a vision of a Charleston where “home” isn’t a privilege, it’s an inherent human right and a public good. We believe every single person, regardless of race, class, or age, deserves a safe and joyful place to lay their head down at night.
Unfortunately, Charleston looks nothing like our vision. The Charleston Metro Chamber asserts that we need over 2,600 affordable units PER YEAR for the next TEN YEARS to even keep up with growth in the area. Only 10% of that is currently being built. Meanwhile, North Charleston continues to lead the nation in rates of eviction, and our community struggles to recover from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
In 2017, we challenged Charleston County Council to establish an affordable housing trust fund to address housing unaffordability in the region. Between 2017 and 2024, CAJM held press conferences, attended council meetings, met with council members, leveraged local media to emphasize the need for a trust fund. Finally, in 2024, Charleston County Council agreed to create a fund an initial investment of $4.15 million used from accommodations tax revenues.
That trust will finance affordable housing projects for people who are living on just 30% -120% of the Area Median Income.
We consider this one of many CAJM victories that have worked to help make our region a more just place to live and work.