Columbia Housing Authority provides cheaper rent to low income tenants

Regarded as one of the best housing associations in the country, the Columbia Housing Authority has been providing quality housing since 1934 to the residents of South Carolina, Richland County, Columbia and Cayce.

The University Terrace was the first housing project of the Columbia Housing Authority and was started in 1936 at an overall cost of $760,000. This complex originally consisted of 74 row houses for African Americans, 48 apartment units for Caucasians and the rents for these units included cooking, heating, lighting, water and refrigeration.

Although the Columbia Housing Authority has developed numerous housing projects ever since its inception, the most recent ones are the Celia Saxon Neighborhood and Jaggers Terrace. Currently the Columbia Housing Authority provides conventional housing to over 10,000 residents of the Metropolitan area and offers a number of units to families of low and moderate incomes.

What makes their housing  plans distinct from the rest of the developments is that most if not all of their properties are located near shopping facilities, schools, bus lines and churches. Residents of the larger communities are offered onsite maintenance and management. Their rental assistance program known as Section 8 provides rental assistance to individuals with low income who wish to live in a private neighborhood, but cannot afford current market rental prices.

Members of the Section 8 program pay just 30% of their gross income for utilities and rent, and the Columbia Housing Authority subsidized the remainder. The Housing Society also provides up to 3500 vouchers and rehabilitation certificates, where a single voucher allows a family to get a home of their choice in the private rental market. Should the family decide to move, the assistance can be transferred provided the housing is inspected and approved by the staff of the CHA to meet Housing Quality Standards.

The Mod Rehab program is another rental program offered by the Columbia Housing Society, and is designed to provide rental assistance for low cost families. The housing units consist of both homes and apartments that have been recently renovated and are privately owned. When vacancies are available, families are selected from the Mod Rehab list, and are required to pay 30% of their income for rent and utilities. If you’d like more information on any of the assistance programs offers by the Columbia Housing Authority, give them a call today at 803-254-3886.