Consultants from Catalyst Commercial delivered the EDC-commissioned housing market assessment to the Mount Pleasant City Council on Nov. 4, saying the city has a stable ownership base, permit growth in 2024 and a healthy pipeline of planned housing that could satisfy projected five‑year demand.

"Quality of life is a big thing," Chris Branham said, adding that Mount Pleasant’s downtown and existing neighborhood framework provide a regional advantage. Noah Rakoski and Branham described three current housing formats — infill/masterplan neighborhoods, mixed-use near town centers, and smaller house‑lot formats — and urged the city to align housing, economic development and code enforcement.

Key findings: Consultants found a substantial permit increase in 2024 (about 70 units) and estimated a multi‑year demand pipeline (roughly 5‑year demand on the order of the hundreds of housing units depending on price points). They said roughly 75% of people who work in Mount Pleasant do not live in the city, an indicator that county-level housing dynamics affect local capture of workforce housing.

Recommendations: The consultants recommended pursuing targeted infill near downtown, pursuing neighborhood health strategies (including stronger code enforcement and rental-property inspection programs), and using city-owned or trust parcels for organized infill or public–private partnerships. "Existing housing is your affordable workforce housing," Rakoski said; consultants recommended prioritizing maintenance and selective redevelopment to preserve that stock.

Costs and implementation: The report includes implementation steps and case studies; consultants told the council the EDC has already funded the study and that staff would circulate the final draft and address follow-up questions. Council members asked for additional case studies about how comparable towns redeveloped historic lots and how the city can ensure appropriate architectural and design standards in higher-intensity developments.

Next steps: Catalyst will finalize the report with comments from the EDC and staff. The consultants encouraged council and staff to use the study as a facilitation tool for developers instead of an active recruitment burden.