One80 Place Serves Vulnerable Residents in Charleston, South Carolina

One80 Place Serves Vulnerable Residents in Charleston, South Carolina

In April 2025, HUD Secretary Scott Turner visited One80 Place to view construction progress on 573 Meeting Street, an affordable housing development in an Opportunity Zone in Charleston, South Carolina.

With offices in Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina, One80 Place is one of the largest homeless service providers in the Lowcountry and Midlands areas of South Carolina, serving a total of 2,663 people in 2024. At its Charleston location, One80 Place operates a shelter that offers wraparound support; case management; medical services; and connections to permanent, affordable housing for people exiting homelessness. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, One80 Place served 632 veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their housing in 2024. In addition to veterans, the organization serves women with children and youth experiencing homelessness.

One80 Place is developing its first affordable housing project, which will be located in an Opportunity Zone in Charleston — a state-designated, economically distressed area. Established under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Opportunity Zones provide tax incentives to attract private investors to communities experiencing economic challenges. Opportunity Zones have helped spur economic development, job creation, and community revitalization in low-income neighborhoods. In April 2025, HUD Secretary Scott Turner visited Charleston and One80 Place to learn more about the organization's efforts to address homelessness and its progress on the new affordable housing development. 

Developing Stable Housing 

In September 2024, One80 Place sold vacant land adjacent to its existing shelter at 35 Walnut Street to 573 Meeting Street Associates (a related party) for $2 million to develop 573 Meeting Street. The $44 million affordable housing project emerged through a strong partnership involving public, private, and nonprofit organizations. The Michaels Organization, the nation's largest private-sector owner of affordable housing, partnered with Spandrel, a real estate development firm, to develop plans for the land. To finance the project, a One80 Place subsidiary, 573 Meeting Commercial LLC, signed a $3 million promissory note with CLIMB Fund, South Carolina's largest microlender and nonprofit community development financial institution that provides capital for small businesses. Through Equity Equivalent funds — a long-term loan product for community development financial institutions and their investors — CLIMB Fund has scaled up loans and technical assistance in Opportunity Zones to help these distressed neighborhoods overcome disinvestment and begin to thrive economically. Public funding for 573 Meeting Street came from low-income housing tax credit equity, project-based rental assistance from the city of Charleston Housing Authority (CHA), $17 million in tax-exempt bonds issued by the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority, and the state's housing trust.

In October 2024, One80 Place and its partners began construction on 573 Meeting Street, a 6-story development, which will provide 70 units of permanent, affordable housing for individuals who previously experienced homelessness. The building will include studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments for people earning less than 50 percent of the area median income. Residents will pay no more than 30 percent of their income on rent, which will include utilities. The first floor will offer amenities and office space for wraparound services such as case management, medical care, tenancy support, and legal aid. In addition to the 70 apartment units, the project will offer 65 shelter beds on the second floor for women and children. The project is expected to be completed by summer 2026. Residents will sign 12-month leases, and the project-based rental assistance from CHA will ensure that the apartment units remain permanently affordable.

Looking Ahead

One80 Place is providing critical support to vulnerable families and individuals. As Secretary Turner emphasized, One80 place "gives us hope and encouragement." Onsite medical care and legal assistance, including help with managing chronic illnesses, obtaining a driver's license, and accessing benefits, help reduce barriers that could keep people from getting back on their feet. During his visit, Secretary Turner spoke about replicating the 573 Meeting Street project across the U.S. to "eradicate homelessness." As the first of its kind in the Charleston area, the project offers a strong example to other communities across the country looking to develop housing in Opportunity Zones that attract investment and accelerate economic development.