In 2021, the City of Myrtle Beach commissioned a Workforce Housing Needs Assessment. In the study, it was concluded that:

• First, there is a need to increase the supply of housing in the City and to identify the obstacles (e.g. financial, regulatory) that need to be overcome to help support the sensible development of additional workforce housing.

• Second, there is a need for housing for individuals and families of all incomes..... In order to ensure that low and moderate-wage working individuals and families can find housing, the Myrtle Beach community will need to pursue more proactive strategies.

In 2022, the City of Myrtle Beach and Habitat for Humanity developed a Workforce Housing Strategic Plan to address the gaps in the creation of housing for our populations’ household incomes. One of the four main objectives was the creation of a Community Land Trust.

In 2023, major employers from across the county identified that housing their workforce was a critical challenge that put a strain on their recruitment and retention efforts. The Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation and Horry County Administration responded by creating the Horry County Housing Committee.

In October 2023, Sandy Davis, CEO of the MBREDC, convened the Housing Committee for the first time to discuss workforce needs. Present at this meeting were major employers who spoke in detail about the market gap in meeting the workforce’s housing needs.

After reviewing potential efforts to champion, the housing committee decided to pursue the creation of a county-wide community land trust. It was determined that the Community Land Trust (HCCLT) would provide the most flexibility to solve the many different housing challenges experienced by the workforce. Additionally, it was an effort designed to create long-term affordability, making its sustainability an attractive element for Horry County.

In a study commissioned by CCAR, Anderson Economic Group determined that HCCLT Creation was a popular and successful effort by local government to respond to rising housing costs.

Habitat for Humanity of Horry County’s effort to establish a CLT was already underway, so they recommended a startup consultant and agreed to be the responsible organization for progressing the countywide initiative. Horry County and the City of Myrtle Beach agreed to share the cost of the consultant.

An “implementation group” subset of the housing committee convened regularly with the consultant to shape the development of the new Horry County Community Land Trust.

On Sept. 30th – Oct. 2nd, stakeholder meetings were held to collect feedback on the HCCLT structure designed for Horry County.

In December of 2024, an initial board meeting occurred and the Horry County Community Land Trust was incorporated.