City of Charleston asks county to join regional effort for temporary "pallet" housing to help people experiencing homelessness

Mayor William Cogswell and city housing staff told Charleston County council members that the City of Charleston is seeking regional partners to fund a rapid-deployment temporary housing site and related services to help people who are unsheltered and who "fall through the cracks."

"What it would do is provide 60 to 80 individual units, temporary housing units, on a site that is centrally located and owned by the city on the Neck area," Mayor William Cogswell said, describing a proposed campus that would combine a Hope Center with 60–80 pallet-style or rapid housing units and wraparound services.

Gianna Shaw Johnson, director of the City of Charleston's Department of Housing and Community Development, said the proposal is intended to serve people who cannot immediately qualify for traditional shelters or permanent housing because of behavioral-health or substance-use barriers. She described pallet housing as quickly constructed, lockable units with a bed, HVAC and a small closet for personal belongings. "We need housing for these individuals," she told council, adding that the city's Hope Center provides showers, clothing storage, job training and referral services but that many people need short-term housing in the transition to permanent housing.

Gianna Shaw Johnson told council the city and its nonprofit partners have raised about $4.3 million toward a permanent Hope Center and that the city estimates the Hope Center building costs at about $4 million. The pallet homes themselves were estimated at roughly $5.5 million for the initial set. The city's proposal would split pallet costs roughly 50/50 between counties (Charleston and Berkeley were cited) and participating municipalities; the city asked the county for a tentative contribution of about $1,750,000 to help get the project started over the next 12 months. Cogswell said Dorchester County had declined to participate, while Berkeley County had expressed interest.

City officials identified an available site on the Neck's former Southern Truck Terminal property, which they said provides transit access and enough space for the center and adjacent pallet units. The proposal also envisions a regional operations board and expects to pursue private grants and state funds for ongoing operations. The city estimated an operating budget of about $1.5 million annually for the facility and suggested the county's share could be about $500,000 per year if no outside operating funds were secured.

Council members asked clarifying questions about operations, ownership and ongoing costs. Mayor Cogswell and Gianna Shaw Johnson said the city would own the building and lease it to the nonprofit that would operate the center; partners would retain input on operations and referrals. The city requested a contingent commitment from the county so that planning and site work can proceed collaboratively and said additional details and cost-sharing agreements would follow.

Why this matters: Countywide homelessness and lack of short-term housing capacity are regional problems. The city is asking the county to join a collaborative, shared-cost effort to add short-term housing capacity directly tied to wraparound services and to accelerate placement and stabilization for people exiting homelessness.

Next steps: The city asked county leaders for a contingent funding commitment and said it will provide further details to the county as the project moves toward final design and partner commitments.