People don’t need a report to tell them something is off.
They’re feeling it every month.

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Rent is going up.
Home prices are out of reach.
And wages aren’t keeping up.

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In Greenville County and across District 25, more families are spending over 30% of their income just on housing, putting them one emergency away from losing stability. For seniors on fixed incomes, working families, and young people trying to get started, that pressure is real.

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What’s happening

Development is happening fast across District 25. New homes. New apartments. New investment. 

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But too often, the people who already live here are not the ones benefiting from that growth.

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Property values go up. Taxes go up. Rent goes up.

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And longtime residents are left trying to figure out how to stay in the communities they helped build.

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At the same time, too many jobs in our area still don’t pay enough to match the cost of living. So even when people are working full-time, they’re still falling behind.

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That’s not sustainable.

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What this means

When people can’t afford to live in their own community:

• Families are pushed out

• Seniors are forced to make impossible choices

• Young people leave because they don’t see a future here

 

And the gap between those doing well and those struggling keeps growing.

We cannot build a strong economy if the people who power it can’t afford to live here.

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• Affordable housing that actually stays affordable
  Support policies that ensure new developments include housing options for working families, not just high-end units.

• Protecting longtime residents
  Advocate for property tax relief and protections for seniors and families at risk of being priced out of their homes.

• Workforce-aligned wages
  Support economic development that brings jobs paying wages that match the cost of living, not just any jobs.

• Responsible growth
  Work with local leaders to make sure development includes infrastructure, transportation, and community input, not just rapid expansion.

• First-time homeownership opportunities
  Expand access to programs that help working families purchase homes and build generational wealth.

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Growth is coming whether we plan for it or not. The question is who it's going to work for. 

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If we get this right, people won't just be in survival mode. They'll be able to stay here and raise their families here. 

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