Background Info on the Donation/Habitat’s Mission:
In December of 2024 Habitat received a gift of approximately 2 acres on West Front Street in Liberty from the Crotwell family. Some Liberty residents may remember them; Philip Crotwell served as principal of Liberty high School for more than 20 years and his wife Jeanette spent three decades as a teacher and librarian. Their families love of Liberty was deep and this donation carries that legacy forward. The property is currently zoned light residential and sits within an established neighborhood. There is a small wet area on one side of the lot but overall, it is a strong build site. One of its greatest advantages is its location. The properties close to both the schools and downtown Liberty. That means future families will be able to live within walking distance of classrooms shops and community spaces. For Habitat, land is always the hardest piece of the puzzle. Without it, we cannot build. This gift gives us the chance to create not just houses but a place where families can put down roots and become part of Liberty's story. And that's the crux of it right?
For families to become part of Liberty story, they need housing they can actually afford. A recent high school graduate working full-time at $14 an hour takes home between $1,800 and $2,000 a month. If you follow the standard guideline of spending no more than 30% of your income on housing, that means they should be looking at rent around $550 to $600 dollars. As you can see nothing in Liberty comes close to that even the cheapest available rental would take up more than half their income. That is not sustainable unless they live with roommates or get help from family. It's not just about rentals, though. About 76% of homes in Liberty are owner occupied, which is fantastic. But we are seeing very little circulation in the market. Few families are moving, downsizing, or selling. That means younger families can't find larger homes, older residents can't find smaller ones, and first-time buyers can't get into the market at all. And when renters can't move into ownership, they stay in rentals longer, which reduces what's available for new renters. At the same time, home values are climbing quickly. Here in liberty, the median home value is between $259 and 295,000. That's lower than the Greenville Metro average, but it is gone up more than 60% in just 5 years. For first-time buyers, that makes homeownership harder and pushes even more pressure onto the rental market.
At Habitat, we know that safe, affordable housing isn't just about having a place to sleep. Homeownership is one of the most reliable ways families can build wealth over time. Stable housing is tied to better health outcomes, stronger educational performance for children, and greater community involvement. When families have affordable, secure homes, everything else in their lives has a stronger foundation, especially the community they live in. It's clear that Liberty needs affordable housing. Families who work here, go to school here, and want to stay here are finding it harder and harder to do so. On these two acres on West Front Street, we can see the possibility of what housing might mean. But this isn't just about houses, it's about community, and habitat wants to hear your thoughts before we consider how to move forward.
Neighbors were invited to learn more about Habitat’s work, hear details about the property, and share feedback on what they’d like to see built in this location.
Short Description of Event:
On Tuesday, August 19th , Pickens County Habitat for Humanity welcomed the Liberty community to a listening session at the Rosewood Center. Together, we discussed the two-acre lot generously donated by the Crotwell family, the future site of Habitat homes near downtown and Liberty Elementary.
If you missed the session or would like more information, please feel free to reach out to us via email at info@pickenshabitat.org or by phone at 864-878-6374.