GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – The City of Greenville and United Housing Connections hosted a ribbon cutting for two new affordable housing units Wednesday.

“Building is expensive but when people put their resources on the table and are willing to have just a little skin in the game, we can make awesome things happen.” CEO Lorain Crowl said.

The ribbon cutting was hosted at 245 Cowan Court at 10 a.m., which included keynote speakers Mayor Knox White, Councilman Ken Gibson, State Representative Chandra Dillard and UHC’s Lorain Crowl.

The City of Greenville’s Community Development Division Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) provided $235,000 to develop the units. United Bank provided the balance of the development funds at $127,000.

“A lot of people just don’t realize how much direct investment has been made by the city.” City of Greenville Mayor Knox White said “Not just in the last 2-3 years but the last 20 years and there is really no better example than here in the Nicholtown neighborhood.”

Additionally, the City donated the land at 245 Cowan Court, which was vital in reducing costs. The agreement requires the units to be limited to those at 60% Average Medium Income or below for the next twenty years.

“We are grateful to the City of Greenville and to United Bank for their contributions. It is partnerships like these that have helped UHC provide more than 140 units of affordable housing in our community over the last 20 years,” said Crowl.

City of Greenville Mayor Knox White says the city has invested $150 million in special emphasis neighborhoods since the year 2000. He says in Nicholtown alone the city has invested $25 million. Those who live and work in the community say projects like this one are always special.

“When I started on talking about affordable housing it was really because I lived here so I saw it as a neighbor,” Nicholtown resident and State Representative for house district 23, Chandra Dillard said. “Then going to council, I was able to start doing something about it but it did not have nearly the attention of affordable housing today.”

The City of Greenville has invested $10.5 million in Affordable housing in the past five years, with another $14+ million planned in the next five years. Additionally, the Greenville Housing Fund is leveraging city funds to accelerate investment in affordable housing by up to $33 million.