Community + Livability
Work Force Housing | Quality Education | Good Jobs | Tourism
Why it Matters
The true measure of a community’s strength depends on the ability of its citizens, regardless of background or economic status, to find equal opportunities to live, work, play, and learn. It’s no easy task, and Charleston’s rapid population growth has made the endeavor even more difficult, but at the TCEOC, we continue to meet the challenge and are committed to building a thriving community for all through advocacy and informed leadership regarding critical issues, including the availability of good jobs, reasonably priced work force housing, and quality education in both K-12 schools and higher education institutions. And because we live and work in a world-class region where tourism generates an economic impact of more than $14 billion annually, the TCEOC is also focused on policies and processes that welcome and support responsible tourism while also protecting neighborhood interests.
Work Force Housing
Living where you work—cutting commutes, minimizing sprawl, increasing affordability.
Workforce citizens—teachers, police, fire and emergency first responders, young professionals, food-and-beverage employees, construction professionals, machinists, and mid-income families—are the backbone of the greater Charleston area. But high housing costs in urban cores and centers of work are pushing these citizens further away from their jobs, leading to increased congestion on roadways, greater fuel consumption, suburban sprawl, expensive utility expansion, and lower quality of life with lost family time and disconnected communities as the result.
At the TCEOC, we support collaboration between the business sectors and local governments to incorporate workforce housing into new development and in-fill housing plans as well as strategic, inter-county public transportation initiatives like Lowcountry Rapid Transit, which is expected to begin construction in 2027. It takes teamwork, commitment and buy-in from the community, the results will mark our regions success for years to come.
Quality Education
Education is the heart of
our community.
A community, like the body, needs its heart to function. Without it, all other functions fail, which makes access to quality education paramount. In the professional world, education is often a key factor when employers are deciding where to move new business, and our technical and community colleges and university institutions are making great strides to meet these needs. Success on a global level will require coordinated efforts from all regional stakeholders, including the TCEOC.
And while Charleston area’s K-12 magnet and charter schools rank among the nation’s highest achieving, the region is also home to some of the worst-failing schools in the state (and nation), primarily in low-income and rural areas. Grassroots initiatives and financial support are needed to help these students and schools prosper.
Quality
Jobs
Local jobs are created by the economy’s healthy rhythms.
Quality jobs and job growth are the key to any dynamic, forward-moving community. Jobs are intricately linked to every other economic component: education, infrastructure, a clean environment, government services, rail transportation, cultural diversity, business opportunities, and much more.
In the Charleston area, we’re fortunate that job stability and growth continue to outpace national and statewide averages, as they have for the last decade, while our available workforce matches pace. The presence of international economic heavyweights like Boeing, Volvo, and Mercedes have boosted the region’s manufacturing profile. And while other jobs in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) arena—significantly, the life sciences and IT sectors—have experienced strong performance, hospitality jobs have seen the highest percentage growth in the last five years. But quality local jobs do not exist in a vacuum. They rely on a healthy economic heartbeat, and that requires all of us.
Tourism
The world-class destination we
call home.
Charleston welcomed 7.8 million visitors in 2024. Drawn by the region’s history, culture, food, climate, beaches, and waterways, these travelers generated a record-setting $14 billion economic impact—not to mention a staggering number of jobs. Today, the hospitality sector employs nearly 55,000 people across the region, making tourism one of our top resources. In addition to driving the economy, investment in new hotels, conference centers, restaurants, and stores also attracts new residents. There’s a balance to be struck between sharing our region with the world and building a community for permanent residents.
At the TCEOC, we support and welcome tourism but are always working towards responsible policies and processes that also protect neighborhood interests, ensuring we can be good stewards of both visitors and citizens.