WATCH: Chapin Residents Say, No Way, to Proposed Affordable Housing

Some Chapin residents are saying, not in our backyard, about a proposed affordable apartment complex.

CHAPIN, S.C. (WOLO) – Some Chapin residents are saying, not in our backyard, about an affordable apartment complex proposed for a lot near downtown.

At a special called meeting Wednesday night at town hall, hundreds of people showed up, with dozens speaking out against the development. The spokesman for the not-for-profit developer, Resource Housing Group, based in Atlanta, said this kind of intense backlash is not unusual.

The Peaks at Chapin would sit on four-and-a-half acres behind the Bi-Lo, off Virginia Street. The developer says the 48 units would be distributed between two, two-to-three story buildings. The property is already zoned correctly.

“It’s essential to any community to have affordable housing,” spokesman Chase Northcutt said. All of the units would be affordable, meaning that rents would be set at 50 to 60 percent of the median income.

Chapin Mayor Skip Wilson said he’s staying neutral for now. He just learned about the proposal from Representative Chip Huggins last week, after the representative was informed.

“It’s important they have their say,” Wilson said. “These are real life experiences people live every day. And sometimes the reality has to be accepted.”

The developer filed its application for the federal tax breaks with the state housing authority in the beginning of March. There is a possibility that the developer will not qualify for those federal tax breaks; the project is being considered against other similar developments across the state. The developer said they should know if they’re approved within three months. If that happens, Mayor Wilson says they’ll continue on the process like they would with any development.