Imagine your grandparents living in a broken-down facility infested with bugs. Residents of the Joseph Floyd Manor, a public housing unit for the elderly and disabled in Charleston, face this reality.

For over four years, the living conditions at the Joseph Floyd Manor have been called “subhuman” and “deplorable.” In 2020, a federal inspection was preformed and it was scored a 19 out of 100. The building was found not up to fire codes and needed to be fumigated. In 2022, there was another inspection. They failed again. The building was still infested with bugs and mold. Drug dealers had also begun to prey on the elderly residents. The building was meant to be torn down and rebuilt with temporary housing added for the current inhabitants. Unfortunately, it seems as though this never happened.

The new building was meant to have better HVAC, appliances, and security. The mold and infestations would be finally destroyed, and they would be able to fend off illegal drug deals. Deconstruction was meant to begin the second they moved the residents to the temporary building next door. They even sold 18 houses to fund the project in 2022. As of 2024, no work has been done, but they are still discussing the project. This project is managed by the Housing Authority of the City of Charleston.

Another low-income hosuing authority in Charleston has also failed their public housing projects. A Section 8 mobile home has also been shown to have similar problems of mold, bugs, and a lack of utilities. The trailer is considered a fire hazard, and the only way to keep the house warm is by turning on the oven and shutting all other doors. In the South Carolina heat, the AC does not work either. One resident has tried talking to her landlord but has been dismissed, and even been told she complains too much. An inspector also came by telling her there is nothing they can do. The City of Charleston Housing Authority does not pay for repairs or damages, but they have said they will try to work with the resident.

In 2023, the living conditions of Gadsden Green, a low-income public housing complex, caused tenants to file a lawsuit against the City of Charleston Housing Authority calling the conditions “deplorable.” The Authority must be getting sick of that word. The tenants have complained of rat infestations, electrical problems causing high bills, and water leakage causing mold. One resident who has been living there for 13 years says conditions have never changed and nothing is ever fixed. Many of the residents have children who are constantly sick due to the housing conditions. One of the whistleblowers felt she had been targeted with fines since she came out about the conditions. She received three fees in two weeks and was sent a letter saying her home was not up to standard. They told her if it was not fixed, then her lease would be terminated. Since the lawsuit and speaking out, the Housing Authority has started on renovations and repairs that should have begun much earlier.

Although they are much less extreme examples, I have heard a lot personally about the Charleston’s housing management’s negligence. Almost everyone knows that the housing market in Charleston is a disaster. Lillian’s, the Talon’s very own co-editor-in-chief, cousin has been facing problems with her home not selling and therefore not being able to buy a new one without falling into debt. My father’s friend has also tried buying a house from the Housing Authority but was blocked as they said they were going to sell it to developers instead. My grandparents are currently trying to find a new home, but have discovered prices in Charleston are too steep causing them to have to live in an outer city.

South Carolina lawmakers became involved on August 22nd, 2024, when the Charleston County Housing & Redevelopment Authority decided to sell 30 vacant homes in order to raise more money for projects. The only thing it is raising now is red flags. As expected from homes that have been vacant for years, the houses are broken down and in bad shape. On top of this, there are no buyer restrictions. These vacant homes were meant to be publicly owned, affordable housing units. Why was nobody inhabiting them? You would expect affordable housing to be taken up in a heartbeat in Charleston. Now the 30 homes are selling for a collective 7.75 million dollars. Does not sound very affordable. The listing agent is also a previous CEO of the Charleston County Housing & Redevelopment Authority. Another red flag. Representative Tom Hartnett asks “How much is she getting paid?” and “What is her agreement with the Charleston County Housing Authority?” He also wonders whether this situation is just a quick financial fix rather than the beginning of a long-term solution.

Our SC state representatives have many questions for the housing authority, and within their call for investigation have listed them:

1. Why was a former CEO, with ties to past failures, chosen to manage this sale, and were there conflicts of interest in this decision?
2. Why were these homes allowed to sit vacant and deteriorate for years, and who will be held accountable for this negligence?
3. What guarantees are in place to ensure these properties will remain affordable?
4. What is the long-term strategy for maintaining or expanding affordable housing?
5. How can the authority justify this sale when it has been labeled ‘troubled’ by HUD and has failed to address squalid conditions at Joseph Floyd Manor?
6. How will the proceeds from these sales be used, and what safeguards are in place to prevent these funds from being mismanaged?
7. What steps will be taken to ensure this sale does not undermine the county’s investments in affordable housing?
8. How can the public trust an agency with such a poor track record to handle such a significant transaction effectively?
9. What will be done to restore public trust in the Charleston County Housing and Redevelopment Authority?

The Housing Authorities in Charleston are struggling and aren’t properly caring for their residents. The Charleston County Housing Authority is running under the idea that its new CEO will solve the issues that have been haunting them for past years and she will expand the amount of affordable housing options. How can she raise enough money to build a new facility, repair all the other buildings under their control, and increase the amount of affordable housing? No other CEO has seemed to manage. But maybe making one of the CEOs who has failed as the listing agent is a good idea. Only time will tell.