Columbia Housing Authority outlines 420+ affordable units, proposes homeownership conversions in Richland County

Columbia Housing Authority officials on Nov. 18 briefed the Richland County Council on several planned affordable-housing developments and a proposal to convert scattered public-housing single-family homes into homeownership opportunities.

Cindy Herrera, representing the housing authority, said the first project, Oak Grove at Hunt Club at 8207 Hunt Club Road, is a 96-unit townhome development intended for families earning up to 60% of area median income. Herrera said the total development cost is $35,600,000, financed with tax-exempt bonds and low-income housing tax credits; she said closing was delayed by the federal government shutdown but is anticipated by March, with occupancy expected in January 2028.

Herrera described two additional projects: a 104-unit senior development expected to close in 2026 (total development cost cited as $34,400,000) and a 220-unit family development called Willow Creek expected online in 2027. She said the authority is coordinating with county staff and plans both multifamily and single-family approaches to expand affordable housing supply.

On single-family stock, Herrera said the housing authority owns 233 scattered single-family homes across Richland County. She reported that 43 of those were identified as viable for rehabilitation, 109 are currently occupied, and 66 are anticipated for disposition (sale under federal disposition rules). Herrera described a disposition process to remove HUD restrictions where possible and said the authority envisions renovating roughly 50 homes (about 10 per year over five years) to create homeownership opportunities available up to 120% of AMI. "We really want to be able to put these houses back into occupancy for low-income families, particularly through homeownership opportunity," Herrera said.

Councilmembers questioned how new properties would align with existing waiting lists and whether waiting-list residents would have priority. Councilmember Gretchen Cooper asked whether openings would be offered first to people on the housing authority’s waiting list; Herrera explained that each new property opens its own waiting list, the authority notifies applicants on other lists, and a lottery process is used to create the eligibility pool for screening and selection.

Herrera acknowledged federal regulatory constraints that limit local flexibility. "We have regulatory requirements we have to comply with that don't always allow us to do things that we would very much like to do at the local level," she said.

The presentation closed with officials expressing interest in a county–housing authority partnership to finance and renovate viable units and to structure sales or restrictions so that homes go to nonprofits or residents rather than speculators.

Council did not take formal action on this presentation; next steps would be continued staff-level discussions between the housing authority and county housing and community development staff.

Ending: The council received the briefing and held a brief Q&A; the authority will continue discussions with county staff on disposition and potential partnership details.