We are all connected.

At Central SC Habitat for Humanity, we believe no one should spend more than 25% of their income on a home.  However, due to increased housing costs and growing income inequality, nearly one-third of households in the United States face cost burdens - paying either at least 30% of their income for housing (cost burdened) or at least half of their income on housing (severely cost-burdened). (HFHI 2019 State of Home Affordability). 

​The state minimum wage for South Carolina is $7.25/hr or $15,080; but the wage required to afford fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment ($898), is $17.27/hr or $35,919 annually.   With the cost burden of housing, plus the gap in wages, often leads families to make decisions between safe homes, quality schools, reliable transportation, health care, and nutritious food.  Which would you choose?

This is unacceptable.

Habitat for Humanity has always stood the ground and continues to, that everyone deserves the access to build stability for their family; which comes down to safe, decent, and affordable shelter. 

Help us make that possible.  Help us make the #CostofHome something we all can afford.

Areas of focus

Expanding resources for affordable home production
​Many areas across the U.S. are facing shortages of adequate homes, particularly ones affordable to those earning modest incomes. We support advocacy for policies that enable the production and preservation of homes affordable to lower income households.

Developing communities of opportunity
A home isn’t just a building. It includes the community and resources in which you live, work and grow. For families to achieve long-term success and stability, homes must be both well-constructed and built in an area with sufficient access to transportation, jobs, education, food, medical care, and other critical products and services. We support advocacy for policies that allow neighborhoods and communities to thrive.

Increasing inclusive access to credit
​Mortgage credit is difficult, if not impossible, for many households to access, and minority and lower income applicants often have access to no types of credit at all. We support advocacy for policies that increase and broaden access to credit for underserved populations.

Enabling equitable access to land
Land is often among the greatest costs encountered in developing homes, whether for rental or for ownership. We support advocacy for policies that empower residents to guide local development and land use decisions to ensure they fully reflect community needs, particularly for populations who have been discriminated against in the past.

#CostOfHome Campaign

Since its launch in June 2019, more than 300 local Habitat organizations have joined the national Cost of Home campaign, which is committed to improving home affordability through policy and systems change. Habitat is looking to maintain that momentum in 2020 by engaging voters, candidates and elected officials at all levels of government through various events and activities that highlight affordable housing needs and the policies needed to address them.

“Last year Habitat for Humanity mobilized more than a million volunteers in the United States to lend their hands to build affordable homes,” Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International. “Now we’re calling on them to lend their voices to our movement by holding candidates and elected officials accountable to the housing needs in our communities.”

Learn more about the #CostOfHome Campaign and how you can be involved by click here.

Take action

Raise your voice now to tell Congress greater action is needed for housing stability and support for nonprofits.  Click here to take a stand now. 
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Pledge to Vote.  Your vote this November can help to ensure housing stability and affordability needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic are addressed. Join Habitat in making housing affordability a priority in this year’s elections by signing a pledge to vote and sharing graphics on social media to encourage others to join you.  Click here to pledge to vote and then share your pledge on social platforms.  

​Educate yourself and others locally. It is not only important to understand the impacts of the lack of affordable housing has nationwide and to vote on a nationally level, but to also understand those impacts and take action at a local level.  To learn more about the State of Home Affordability in South Carolina, click here.
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+You: Housing is the prescription we need.  A discussion on the important ties between home and health.

It's just stuff.  Until you don't have it.  You have become unemployed, you've lost your home, and are down to your last $1000.  Could you make it through the month? PlaySpent.