Newly-formed group hopes to bring more affordable housing to Horry County

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Horry County’s Administration Committee introduced a new group on Tuesday looking to increase affordable housing.

As housing and rent prices skyrocket, county leaders are looking to ensure residents can afford to live in the area.

“It’s not just something that’s isolated to the City of Myrtle Beach or the City of Conway,” Blakely Roof, President of United Way of Horry County said. “We’re seeing this everywhere.”

Roof is a part of the committee. She said 70% of county residents United Way of Horry County surveyed are concerned about housing costs.

“If you don’t have anywhere to live that you can afford, it makes affording everything else really hard,” she said.

The rising costs can sometimes drive residents out of Horry County and into surrounding areas.

Some committee members say they’re looking to create affordable housing that keeps residents in the community to avoid that future.

“At the end of the day, everyone just wanted a better future for everyone that’s coming up in their area,” Roof said.

One way they discussed keeping homes affordable is by creating housing of all sizes that will be mixed with market-priced housing. This is instead of making changes to zoning plans.

“You better integrate it in the community together in that regard, rather than isolating it in a separate place,” Assistant County Administrator Barry Spivey said.

To address the issue, the group says they’ll need more than just a government response.

“I think it takes an entire community to address this issue, not just the Horry County government, not just the City of Myrtle Beach,” Spivey said.

The group hopes to bring more ideas back to the council in the next few months.

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