Ten first-time buyers got the keys to the Juniper Street Townhomes in West Ashley on Monday. The city put $3.7 million into the homes and built in a permanent subsidy.

First-time buyers got the keys to the 10 homes at the Juniper Street Townhomes in West Ashley. Mayor William Cogswell and council member Keith Waring cut the ribbon Monday at 1555 Juniper St., in the Ardmore/Sherwood neighborhood.

The city put $3.7 million toward the development, which is part of its Project 3500 housing push. That works out to about $370,000 of city money for each home. The city announced the handover in a news release Monday.

How the homes stay affordable

Every home went to a buyer through the city’s First-Time Homebuyer Program. The city said it did two things to keep the prices within reach:

  • It built a permanent subsidy into each property, so the homes stay affordable for the next buyer as well.
  • It paired buyers with down payment assistance through partner lenders.

Pinnacle Financial Partners and South Atlantic Bank provided the mortgages. JJR Development and MGN designed and built the townhomes.

The release did not give sale prices or the incomes of the buyers.

The program behind the homes is the city’s Homeownership Initiative. Its page says it serves households earning 50% to 120% of the area median income. Buyers must not have owned a home in the past three years and must qualify for a first mortgage. The city records a 90-year restrictive covenant on the homes to keep them affordable.

The program has helped 133 households buy a home since it began in 2000, the page says. About 74% of them earned the area median income or less.

What the mayor and a new owner said

“Our job was to close the gap between what a home costs and what a working family can pay, and to make sure it stays that way for the next family, too,” Cogswell said. “That’s what Project 3500 is for.”

Alex Mendez, one of the new owners, said a home used to cost “a couple of years salary” and now costs five or six times a salary. “Juniper keeps these homes in the hands of the people who love them and work in this community, not investors,” Mendez said.

The Rev. Lawrence Bratton of Bible Way Church gave the invocation. The Rev. Christian King blessed the homes.

What it means for you

  • Juniper is finished. Monday’s release marked buyers getting their keys and listed no homes still for sale.
  • You can still apply for later homes. The city lists eligibility and the application on its Homeownership Initiative page. Applications go through the city’s Neighborly portal.
  • Call with questions. The Department of Housing and Community Development is at 843-724-3766, the number the city gave in Monday’s release.

For what you will pay once you own a home, see our property taxes guide. Recent sales across the city are on our real estate transfers page.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the Juniper Street Townhomes?

At 1555 Juniper St. in West Ashley’s Ardmore/Sherwood neighborhood. The city opened the 10 townhomes on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.

Who could buy a Juniper Street townhome?

First-time buyers through the city’s First-Time Homebuyer Program. The city’s Homeownership Initiative serves households earning 50% to 120% of the area median income that have not owned a home in three years and can qualify for a first mortgage.

How do I apply for Charleston’s first-time homebuyer program?

Eligibility and application details are at charleston-sc.gov/242/Homeownership-Initiative, or call the Department of Housing and Community Development at 843-724-3766.