Charleston Mayor William Cogswell presented a housing plan on December 4, 2025, targeting 3,500 new units citywide by around 2030-2032, with 2,500 allocated to the Eastside neighborhood to combat gentrification and displacement.
Plan Details
The initiative emphasizes mixed-income developments blending low-income, market-rate, and workforce housing on the peninsula, including city-owned sites near Meeting Street and Mount Pleasant Street, West Edge, and Housing Authority properties. Prototypes range from single-family homes to four-plexes, with a firm commitment to zero displacement by relocating residents nearby if needed. Collaboration involves the county, West Edge Foundation, and community input, especially from Eastside residents.
Community Response
Eastside resident Demond Delaney highlighted concerns over working-class exodus due to rising median incomes—nearly doubled in a decade—and welcomed the inclusive growth approach. Cogswell described it as a generational chance to retain longtime families amid population influx.
Broader Context
Tidal flooding threatens Eastside infrastructure, prompting calls for transportation sales tax renewal. Earlier efforts, like a $20 million Morrison Drive proposal for 500 units, build toward this 3,500-unit goal estimated at $800 million through 2031.
