City eligible for more than $300K in affordable housing grants

Funds distributed through county redevelopment authority

Simpsonville, S.C. — Simpsonville City Council will consider a resolution on Tuesday that would green light accepting more than $300,000 in federal funds to address the need for affordable housing.

Resolution 2021-01 resolves that the City of Simpsonville accept an allocation of $322,738 to "increase the supply of decent affordable housing" for low- and moderate-income persons, "reduce or eliminate slum and community blight" or meet an "urgent community need" without other funding. The funds are distributed by the Greenville County Urban County Program, of which Simpsonville is one of five participating municipalities. 

At a business meeting to be held Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. via an online meeting service, City Council will vote on the resolution, which requires only one reading and a favorable simple majority for adoption. The meeting will be live streamed at and can be viewed on the City of Simpsonville YouTube Channel. 

Simpsonville spokesman Justin Campbell said the City of Simpsonville is proud to participate in the Urban County Program, which recognizes and works towards solving the affordable housing issue in Greenville County.

"As Simpsonville and its neighboring cities continue to grow, the lack of affordable housing in the county is expected to get worse before it gets better," Campbell said. "If more affordable housing is not provided, economic development will be stunted. An investment of more than $300,000 in affordable housing will ensure the City of Simpsonville is promoting smart growth without reducing housing options for lower income residents."

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) allocates funds through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program to increase decent affordable housing for modest income persons. HOME funds are distributed to state and local governments through organizations like the Greenville County Redevelopment Authority (GCRA), which was established in 1974 to revitalize communities countywide and oversees the Urban County Program.

The approximately $93,000 in HOME funds allocated to the City in 2021 must be used for housing development and rental reserve activity for eligible property and assisting low- and moderate-income households inside city limits.

An additional $230,000 will be distributed by HUD to Simpsonville via the Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) Program, which provides grants to states, counties and cities to develop viable urban communities with decent housing and a suitable living environment by expanding economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons.

If Council adopts the resolution, the City will be agreeing to divide the funds in 2021 among public service programs, a facility improvement project, owner-occupied rehabilitation, façade improvement program and up to $65,000 for "demolition to address slum and blight." See Table 1 below for a break down of the designated amounts for each activity.

Before Council considers the resolution, GCRA Program Director Imma Nwobodu will present the GCRA 2021 Program Year Annual Action Plan as part of a public hearing. The action plan is the county's proposal to HUD for the use of CDBG, HOME and Emergency Solutions Grant funds.

The City of Simpsonville and Greenville County Redevelopment Authority are currently partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County on the Woodside Park development, which will provide affordable homes in the historic Woodside Mill community to 13 families. Read more about the project in the following news release: Ground broken on Woodside Park development.

The City of Simpsonville, Greenville County Redevelopment Authority and Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County have partnered on the Woodside Park development project between Woodside Park Drive and Beattie Street to address affordable housing needs in the county | City of Simpsonville

Table 1

Community Development Block Grant Program funds proposed for the City of Simpsonville for 2021