90th Anniversary - The 2000s

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 8th installment.

The 2000s: New Opportunities for Affordable Housing

The 2000s ushered in new and exciting opportunities for affordable housing at Columbia Housing Authority.

The idea of building homes and communities, rather than public housing apartment complexes, was the driving force behind all the new developments. Technology-driven, energy-efficient amenities were now being built into the homes.

Throughout the first decade of the 2000s, the HOPE VI program was a game changer. The demolition of older public housing communities such as Saxon Homes and Hendley Homes gave way to new developments like the Celia Saxon and Rosewood Hills communities with single-family homes and townhouses.

The HOPE VI program was a game-changer for Columbia Housing in the early 2000s. HOPE VI distributed funds to demolish aged, poor-quality public housing developments and replace them with lower-density, mixed-income developments. The demolition of older public housing communities such as Saxon Homes and Hendley Homes gave way to new developments like the Celia Saxon and Rosewood Hills communities with single-family homes and townhouses.

Other developments like the T.S. Martin Community-a low-income tax credit property were built and featured 35 single-family 3-bedroom homes.

In January 2019, tragedy struck as two residents died due to carbon monoxide poisoning at the 80-year-old Allen Benedict Court public housing community. The property was demolished.

In 2020, Columbia Housing Authority rebranded, updated the logo, and became known as Columbia Housing. The agency launched Vision 2030, a comprehensive $500M development plan to reposition, renovate, and rebuild all of Columbia Housing's public housing inventory.

In April 2022, Columbia broke ground on The Oaks at St. Anna's Park and the Haven at Palmer Pointe-a $100M investment to develop 435 new affordable townhomes and senior living facilities. In June 2022, a new CEO-Yvonda Bean- was appointed by the Board of Commissioners led by Chairman Ernest W. Cromartie III, Esq. In 2024, Bean was named the country's Outstanding Affordable Housing Professional of the Year by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO).

Be on the lookout for the 9th installment of our 9-part series:

On April 30, 2024, Columbia Housing celebrates its 90th Anniversary.

Come Celebrate With Us!

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
Equal Housing Opportunity Provider & ADA Accessible