Florence Housing Authority

The Housing Authority of Florence was created pursuant to the authority of the United Stated Housing Act of 1937 and the Constitution and statues of the State of South Carolina, Codes of Law, and was organized on February 26, 1968. 

We are the “Housing Agency” for the City of Florence – charged with providing decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing to our low-income citizens – with financial aid primarily from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

Governed by Federal, State and local laws, ordinances and regulations, this Agency is administered by a Board of Commissioners appointed by the Mayor and City Council. 

The Board of Commissioners is comprised of five persons designated to govern the Housing Authority. One member of the board is always a current resident of the Housing Authority.  Their purpose is to adopt the policies, act on financial matters of the Authority and provide direction and guidance to the Executive Director. 

Our first board was appointed to serve effective April 1, 1968 and was as follows:

          John L. McGowan, Chairman
          J. B. Aiken, Jr., Vice Chairman
          Rev. L. B. Burgess
          Dr. S. A. Greenberg
          Robert V. Royal, Jr.

Since our inception in 1968, we have had only four Executive Directors, which includes our present Executive Director, Mrs. Clamentine V. Elmore. Mrs. Elmore is the first African American to serve as an Executive Director at the Housing Authority of Florence.

We have grown from a two employee staff in 1968 to 75 and growing.

Currently, we own/manage properties throughout four counties, with jurisdiction for all property north of Lynches River.

     1097 public housing units
     1205 HCV
     108 Tax Credit units
     65 – Elderly/handicapped units (Non Public Housing)

We also have a non-profit, Palmetto Housing Corporation.

The primary goals and objectives of the Board, the Executive Director and staff are to establish and preserve a suitable living environment for persons of low income in the City of Florence, and other areas into which it may be invited to operate, by providing and by assisting in the provision of a variety of safe, decent and affordable housing opportunities; To promote and encourage, through education and other forms of constructive assistance, self-help programs which will assist in the development of resident self-sufficiency; To improve the safety, health, morals and welfare of the community by undertaking and promoting and cooperating with private developers and other governmental entities in the development of appropriate projects.  Unlike a manufacturing firm or a commercial business, our “product” cannot be measured in price or quantity.  Quality is the sole measurable ingredient in Public Housing and “service” is our yardstick.  We must be responsive to our residents’ needs, diligent in our maintenance efforts and, above all, humane in our relationship with everyone.

You now have insight into the Housing Authority.  Our job is not an easy one.  In order for us to have any success at all, we must be able to envision the “whole picture.”  Cooperation, planning, and above all, common sense are the factors that will determine the degree of success we enjoy.  We must not only be professional in our work, but humane as well.