City of Greenville Acquires 6 Acres for Affordable Housing

A Crucial Step Towards Affordable Housing

In its most recent council meeting, the City of Greenville made the unanimous decision to invest $10.7 million in a land purchase aimed at providing affordable housing and green spaces in the historic Haynie-Sirrine neighborhood. Councilman Ken Gibson, a representative of the area, pointed out the urgency of the purchase, stating, “If we had not bought it, there’s a good chance another developer would have come in and bought it.”

Addressing Displacement with Green and Affordable Spaces

Haynie-Sirrine is known for its historically Black heritage; however, recent years have seen a significant reduction in its Black population, primarily due to economic displacement. Analysis of census data reveals a disconcerting trend where the median rent in Haynie-Sirrine soared from $309 in 2012 to a staggering $1,413 by 2023. This change has positioned rent prices in this neighborhood among the highest in the city.

“A neighborhood that has just been pounded, pounded for decades and got a big ole’ pounding when the county square project moved forward, and they will continue to as that gets developed,” remarked Councilwoman Dorothy Dowe, another representative of the area. The introduction of the University Ridge project to the neighborhood has added to the existing challenges, further fanning fears of increasing traffic and continued gentrification.

City Ownership: A Promise of Control

Contrary to the previous experiences of privatization, the City’s decision to buy the land offers a new direction and hope to the future of Haynie-Sirrine. “We can’t make people do affordable housing. We can’t make people do green space. But if we own it, if we control it, then we can do that,” shared Councilman Gibson.

Expressing concern over the rapid increase in property value, Councilman Gibson explained that the city opted to quickly buy the parcels as soon as they hit the market in June. The idea is to utilize this land in a way that resonates with the neighborhood master plan for the community.

“We’re going to work with a number of different agencies and organizations to try to get a mix of housing,” said Gibson. Alongside affordable housing, the creation of green spaces is a primary goal of this project. The city now has options to either sell the land to a private developer or collaborate with organizations such as Genesis Homes or the Housing Authority.

Funding the Project

The city sourced funds to facilitate this significant purchase from multiple avenues, including the Capital Projects fund, Parking Enterprise fund, and Tree fund.

Council Approves Various Annexations

In addition to the affordable housing initiative, the council also approved several annexations. Key among them include approximately 13 acres located at 2000 Wade Hampton Boulevard and around 11 acres situated at Roper Mountain Road and Independence Boulevard.