In Richland County, nearly one in five households is “severely cost-burdened,” spending more than half or more of their income on housing^1,2. With the median gross rent climbing to $1300³, many of our neighbors are being priced out of the neighborhoods they love.

Great news is: we do not have to start from scratch. Richland County has over 17,000 vacant housing units³ - 17,000 opportunities to house our residents. These are not just empty buildings; they are a hidden inventory that, if revitalized, could provide high-quality, sustainable homes for our families today and in the future.

As your councilwoman, I will build on the momentum of government and nonprofits to revitalize vacant housing units and utilize innovative solutions to secure sustainable, affordable housing options for our residents. I will ensure that these solutions are designed and implemented equitably with the voice of all communities at the table. Together, we can build and maintain a housing stock that all residents want, need, and deserve.

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sources

1. Richland County, SC (2025). County Health Rankings. [URL: https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/south-carolina/richland?year=2025]. Accessed 18 Mar 2026.

2. Department of Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of severely cost-burdened obtained from US Census Bureau. [URL: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/renter-households-cost-burdened-race.html]. Accessed 22 Mar 2026.

3. Richland County, South Carolina Profile. US Census Bureau. [URL: https://data.census.gov/profile/Richland_County,_South_Carolina?g=050XX00US45079]. Accessed 22 Mar 2026.