90th Anniversary - The 1990s

Columbia Housing 90th Anniversary, 1934-2024

Yvonda A. Bean
Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director

Columbia Housing Celebrates 90 Years of Rich History

This year - in 2024 - Columbia Housing celebrates its 90th anniversary and its rich history as one of the country's first established Public Housing Authorities.

Over the next few weeks, we are excited to share that rich history with you in a 9-part series that takes you on a journey through the decades. This is our 7th installment.

The 1990s: Growth & Development Continues

The 1990s brought with it substantial change in the public housing landscape. Gone were federal development dollars to build public housing communities. More emphasis was placed on green space and quality of life amenities.

It should be noted that the construction and acquisition of new public housing units effectively ended after the federal government stopped funding new public housing developments in the mid-1990s. The shift in public housing philosophy played a major role in shaping Columbia Housing Authority's development plans in the 1990s.

To provide the agency more flexibility to finance new developments as HUD dollars decreased, the Columbia Housing Board of Commissioners created a non-profit development arm called Columbia Housing Authority Developments, Inc. (CHAD). Several new developments were built or acquired in the 1990s through CHAD. Among those communities were the Congaree Vista community, and Pinewood Terrace. The Opening and Dedication Ceremony for the Vista community was held on October 15, 1995. Henry Cisneros, then Secretary of HUD traveled to Columbia to take part in the event.

Also prominent during the 1990s were anti-crime and anti-drug programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Columbia Housing Authority used Public Housing Drug Elimination Program funds to support a host of youth programs. One of those was a partnership between Columbia Police Department and Columbia Housing Authority for a homework center and youth activity unit in the Gonzales Gardens public housing community. The new entity adopted the Japanese term for police mini-station which is 'KOBAN'. The result was an overall reduction in negative behavior with participating youth and increased school attendance and homework completion.

The 1990's also saw the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development launch its HOPE VI program, which distributed funds to demolish aged, poor quality public housing developments and replace them with lower-density, mixed-income developments. Columbia Housing submitted its successful Hope VI application in 1999 which led to major development changes into the 2000s with demolition of older public housing communities and to clear the way for new community development.

Be on the lookout for the 8th installment of our 9-part series:
Columbia Housing: The 2000s

Columbia Housing and Cayce Housing provide housing to more than 6,500 families in its Housing Choice Voucher Program, Public Housing Program, and Tax Credit Properties encompassing more than 16,000 individuals across 24 properties in Columbia and Richland County. Columbia Housing is governed by a 7-member board with day-to-day operations under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Leadership Team.

Board of Commissioners:

Ernest W. Cromartie, III, Esq., Chairman
Kara Simmons, Vice-Chair
James Chatfield, Commissioner
George Green, Commissioner
Selena Pickens, Commissioner
Kevin Werner, Commissioner

1917 Harden Street • Columbia, SC 29204
CHCares@ColumbiaHousingSC.org
ColumbiaHousingSC.org
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