Greenville Housing Fund (GHF), a nonprofit committed to affordable housing and community development in Greenville, South Carolina, held a chartering ceremony this week celebrating its recognition as an official part of NeighborWorks® America’s network. Formed in 2018 with a commitment to creating opportunity, GHF supports development, preservation and financing solutions to meet the community’s growing housing needs.
In the years since its inception, GHF has invested over $21 million and leveraged $300 million in creating or preserving over 1,850 units of housing in Greenville County – many affordable to households living on as little as 30% of the area median income.
“NeighborWorks connects us to a national platform with the training, tools and technical assistance needed to advance our mission,” explained GHF President & CEO Bryan Brown. “It’s a valuable resource that will help us continue building and preserving affordable housing at scale.”
At the same time, GHF, a data-driven organization with a focus on financial stability, offers its own expertise to NeighborWorks’ network of nearly 250 nonprofits working to solve the housing crisis. “We offer on-the-ground experience in a fast-growing market and a proven ability to structure complex projects,” Brown said. “We’re here to share what works — and to learn from others doing the same across the country.”
“Greenville Housing Fund is a strong addition to the NeighborWorks network,” said NeighborWorks America President & CEO Marietta Rodriguez.
A milestone
The charter marks a milestone in GHF’s growth and capacity as a local housing organization. To create and preserve housing, GHF has worked behind the scenes to align capital, manage development pipelines and support housing strategies that are practical and lasting. From small-scale preservation to new construction, the organization manages a broad range of projects aimed at meeting community needs, setting yet another example of how NeighborWorks America and its network organizations create homes and build America.
The ceremony, which took place at Unity Park’s Welcome Center, featured speakers, an enthusiastic crowd and a tour of GHF’s community-strengthening work. More than 50 people attended the event including Greenville Mayor Knox White, members of the city council and state legislature, and staff from the offices of U.S. Rep. William Timmons (R-SC) and U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.
Tiffany Santagati, vice president for operations with GHF, explained how the organization had worked with partners to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, build new developments and expand opportunities. “At the same time, we worked to raise awareness,” she said. “Housing affordability is not a social issue; it’s an economic imperative.”
The housing GHF provides allows people to live near their jobs, provides children with access to good schools and more, Santagati said. “Neighborhoods flourish when people feel rooted and connected.”
Katie Watts, senior vice president of Field Operations at NeighborWorks, congratulated the staff and board for their work – and their commitment to excellence. “At NeighborWorks America, we believe every community should be a place of opportunity,” she said. “Greenville Housing Fund’s work deeply aligns with that mission.”
Lee Anne Adams, NeighborWorks’ new executive vice president and chief operating officer, said that what stands out most about Greenville Housing Fund is not only what the organization does, “but how they do it—with execution, follow-through and a commitment to solutions that last.” The numbers – including the $21 million – tell a powerful story of families accessing quality homes they can afford, workers living near jobs, and neighborhoods strengthened by long-term investment.
“As Greenville continues to grow, these outcomes are essential for keeping the community inclusive, vibrant, and economically strong. And as a NeighborWorks America network organization, GHF will be able to continue this growth with access to expanded resources.” She presented the framed charter to Brown during the ceremony.
"NeighborWorks is a trusted partner to mission-driven organizations across the U.S., and we’re proud to now be among them,” Brown said following the event. "This recognition supports our ability to deliver results through solid partnerships, market expertise, and careful financial stewardship."
GHF now stands as one of only two NeighborWorks chartered organizations in South Carolina and the only one Upstate. The other is Origin SC in Charleston.
Challenges and solutions
As in other locations in the country, Greenville and the surrounding counties are facing increasing land and construction costs. They are also facing an increase in the price of affordable homes both to own and to rent. Meanwhile, the region is seeing rapid growth, which places pressure on the housing supply and the infrastructure to support that growth, Brown explained.
But GHF has also been uncovering opportunities to offset these challenges – tools like land banking and development gap funding and forging partnerships with developers, lenders and municipalities.
“We focus on financing and supporting projects that fit Greenville’s current and future needs — acting as a flexible, resourceful partner for those delivering housing across the region,” Brown said.
Each year, the organization has increased its rental housing – from 52 apartment homes in 2020 to 176 in 2021 to 816 in 2024. GHF has also invested $21 million into developing affordable and workforce housing, knowing that housing is both a workforce and economic issue. The nonprofit deployed $1.5 million for an Affordable Housing Land Bank.
A tour of impact
Following the reception, GHF staff took visitors on a tour of Greenville through proposed development sites, brand new developments, and sites that had been upgraded and modernized.
The 90-minute tour showed both impact – and potential impact – in the community. Some of the housing developments centered on older adults. Some programs were for veterans. Other developments focused on families. But all of them had the same goal: To provide a safe, stable place for people to call home.
The affiliation and acceptance of GHF into the NeighborWorks network is a welcome addition for the Southern Region. The organization has already had a tremendous impact in South Carolina. Together with NeighborWorks, the impact is sure to grow.
