Myrtle Beach aims to create workforce housing by 2026

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - The dream of building a place where Grand Strand workers can afford where they work is starting to move closer to reality.

Since 2021, the City of Myrtle Beach and Horry County have worked to create a plan to bring more affordable housing to the area.

In the Myrtle Beach City Council Workshop, community leaders unveiled the creation of a “Community Land Trust.”

“Our employee population was struggling to find housing whether it is rental or ownership that was in the city or even a close commute,” said Brian Tucker, Myrtle Beach assistant city manager.

Myrtle Beach City Council members said bringing workforce housing to the Grand Strand has been difficult for over 20 years.

Community and business leaders said they have found a solution to creating the trust.

It is a nonprofit that can buy a piece of land and partner with developers to build quality housing.

Those houses will then be sold at affordable prices for low-to-mid-income people and families.

“You are able to pass that affordability to the next person, not necessarily a teacher to a teacher, but it could be a teacher to a nurse, a teacher to a police officer or fireman,” said Tucker. “A lot of those folks fit into that income bracket.”

Many hotel workers here in the Grand Strand travel over two hours to work each day because of the housing prices here in the Myrtle Beach area.

“You have to save up more to move where I am from to here because the housing and living is cheaper back home,” said Jakeya Hilton, a hotel employee.

Hilton works at the Hilton Grand Vacations Hotel on Ocean Boulevard and travels an hour and 45 minutes to work each day.

She said the workforce housing would help out tremendously.

“It would be good because I can save more money, and I would not have to worry about my living situations,” said Hilton. “It would be less on my car and me not wanting to get on the bus. I would have a closer place to stay, so it would work out.”

The main goal of the trust is to be able to serve the workforce, retain them, and give them a good quality of life.

The next step is finding a piece of land to build the homes.

“The product placement is going to be throughout the entire county, so wherever we can find land is where we will choose to proceed,” said Tucker.

The Community Land Trust’s goal is to close its first home or homes in March of 2026.