MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The Myrtle Beach Housing Authority recently received a grant for 50 vouchers to help people find an affordable place to live.
The Mainstream Grant is designed to help non-elderly, disabled people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless find affordable housing.
“We received 50 vouchers. That’s more vouchers than the Housing Authority has seen in years,” Carol McCall, Operations Director for the Myrtle Beach Housing Authority said.
McCall spent all day Tuesday meeting with people interested in getting on the waiting list for the new program. However, she says the Housing Authority’s biggest problem is finding landlords willing to participate in its programs.
“Our tenants are just like everybody else, some are good, some are bad, but if somebody ran into one bad tenant, they assume all are bad. You can have a bad tenant that’s paying full-market rent. The difference is at least you’re going to get your rent. You’re going to get our portion of it. Our tenants pay based on their income, and we pay the difference,” McCall said.
McCall says people from the Housing Authority are actively looking for landlords who will accept the vouchers, but the fact that Horry County is rapidly growing will make it even more difficult.
“With as many people that are out there looking, not just our’s, but you’ve got people that are moving down to Myrtle Beach, so there’s a big competition for units in Horry County,” McCall said.
