In the heart of North Charleston’s Liberty Hill neighborhood, a historic piece of land—held in the Lecque family for over 150 years—has been transformed into a beacon of affordable housing and community preservation. With support from the South Carolina Community Economic Development Fund (CED Fund), SCACED member Metanoia received a $75,000 grant in 2022 to help bring the Golden Dream Townhomes to life.
This groundbreaking development stands as a model for equitable growth in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. The Lecque family, descendants of freedmen who originally purchased the land in 1871, partnered with Metanoia to create eight affordable rental units ranging from one- to three-bedroom apartments. Under a 50-year ground lease, the townhomes will ensure long-term affordability for residents of the community while allowing the Lecque family to retain ownership of their ancestral land—a powerful example of community-led development.
The response to Golden Dream Townhomes was overwhelming, with over 200 applications submitted within two weeks of opening. The townhomes now provide quality, stable housing for families earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income (AMI), ensuring that long-time residents of Liberty Hill can continue to call their neighborhood home.
Funded by SC State Housing Finance and Development Authority and the SC Department of Commerce’s Community Economic Development fund, this project reflects Metanoia’s commitment to fostering economic opportunity while preserving the cultural and historical identity of Liberty Hill.
Through strategic partnerships and mission-driven investment, Metanoia and the Lecque family are proving that affordable housing can be both a tool for progress and a bridge to the past, ensuring that Liberty Hill remains a place where families can thrive for generations to come.
Now, we ask for your help to ensure projects and programs like this from nonprofits across the state remain viable. With all of the most recent appropriation of CED Fund dollars granted out by the end of 2023, we need you to reach out to your local representative and encourage them to appropriate money out of this year's state budget to replenish the CED Fund!
We're hard at work this legislative session advocating for a $3 million appropriation to the CED Fund grant program so nonprofits can continue addressing the critical needs of their community through innovative and sustainable solutions. Click the link below to find and contact your local representative and voice your support for #CEDinSC!