Affordable housing could be coming to Conway’s Whittemore Park. Here’s what we know.
Some people in Horry County could soon find affordable housing thanks to a new project from the City of Conway and the Eastern Carolina Housing Organization.
The city will soon start work on a “master plan” for the 10-acre Whittemore Park school property, which Horry County Schools gave to the city in 2018. The property, located at 1615 Horry St., may also include a community center, walking trails, playgrounds and other resources, according to Conway City Administrator Adam Emrick.
Conway doesn’t currently have an affordable housing problem, Emrick said, but it could need more options as the city grows.
“That’s something we have to manage as a growing city, that we have a stock of affordable housing,” he said.
Affordable housing is defined as less than 30 percent of the household income, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In Conway, the median household income was $39,957 in 2019, according to Emrick.
The rising cost of housing in the city is something to keep an eye on as Conway’s median housing value has increased from $144,500 in 2015 to $148,400 by 2019, according to Emrick and a report from the city.
“What we are seeing is our housing prices are going up and as a result we need to be continually watchful that we don’t end up pricing ourselves out of the market,” Emrick said.
ECHO is looking to house 20-25 people in eight affordable housing units — four one-bedroom and four two-bedroom — with the possibility to add more as the plan for the property unfolds, said Joey Smoak, CEO of ECHO. Pending an application process, the housing would use federal and state funding, Smoak said.
He said the property would be “wonderful to work with” and leaves the option open to add more housing down the road.
A building on the property, formerly an elementary school, is in severe disrepair, partly due to damage from Hurricane Matthew in 2016, and needs to be demolished, Emrick said. Conway city council also must approve the master plan before several details take shape.
The budget and timeline for the project haven’t been determined, Emrick said. Once the plan for the entire property is set, the city will start to look for partners to handle each section. Emrick mentioned Habitat for Humanity and A Father’s Place as potential partners.
Another possibility for the property is a “tiny house” development, an affordable housing option which was popularized by HGTV’s “Tiny House, Big Living.”
Before decisions are made, Emrick said the city is planning to hear from residents about what they would like to see from the property.
This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
