30 million Americans are starving for affordable places to live. Everyday, teachers, librarians, firefighters and others in our communities face a choice no one should have to make: housing or food. The high cost of shelter has turned necessities like food, healthcare, childcare, and transportation into luxuries.
The Lowcountry is no different. Our neighbors need to earn twice the minimum wage to afford the average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment. As a result, the Lowcountry has the second highest number of severely overcrowded households in South Carolina. One out of every five children in the Lowcountry lives in substandard housing. The uncertainty of the living situation of these children affects their performance in school and robs them of the experience of growing up in a stable community.
We all benefit from creating safe, decent places to live. When workers can afford to live close to their job, highway congestion decreases, open spaces reappear, and sprawling growth is checked. Affordable housing means healthier, more vibrant communities and greater economic opportunity.
Our future depends on housing for all. Make the commitment.
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