HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. () — Hilton Head Island is facing a growing workforce housing crisis.
Six years after early warnings, the island still struggles to find lasting solutions.
Two longtime volunteers from the Housing Board have resigned and two members of the staff connected to the issue have also stepped down.
“Recognizing that housing demand and rental needs surpass current availability, Lisa Sturdevant, a housing consultant engaged by the town in 2019, told News 3’s Andrew Davis, ‘Whether we are talking about 1,000, 2,000, or even 14,000 units, it’s crucial to move forward; otherwise, we’re just heading backwards.’
Sturdevant said Hilton head needed 2,000 units of workforce housing then. The number the town has built since then is zero.
Only one project has even started, and Northpoint is more than a year away from opening.
“Jack Alderman, the previous head of the Hilton Head Island Housing Action Committee, stated, ‘The town’s actions concerning vital housing issues are excruciatingly slow and consistently postponed. Moreover, housing action committees lack the resources to accelerate these processes.’
Alderman gave a speech earlier this week as he resigned as chair of the Housing Action Committee.
Along with fellow board member Sandie West, he noted that since the formation of the board two years ago, no significant progress has been made. They also expressed concern that no changes appear imminent.
“Perhaps forming the Housing Action Committee was a mistake from the start.” West said. “Clearly, some members of Town Council do not consider this a key issue or key priority, despite the negative impact on our community’s quality of life. For me, HAC, without real commitment, wastes everyone’s time and it damages the town’s reputation.”
In addition to their departures, Quincy White, the chief housing officer hired in January of 2024, is also leaving.
While the town would not comment on White’s departure, it issued this statement to News 3:
“Our collective goal is to improve quality of life on the Island for our residents and visitors and to help our businesses thrive; we realize that high-quality workforce housing options are a part of achieving that goal.”
In light of what has been happening, the town has added housing to the discussion points for the upcoming council meeting on Tuesday, May 20.
They invited the public to attend and express their opinions on what has happened so far and what should happen next.
