Homeless No More breaks ground on Grand Village and the James E. Christopher Community Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sydney Coleman
803-400-8886
Homeless No More breaks ground on Grand Village
and the James E. Christopher Community Center
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Oct. 13, 2026) — Homeless No More (HNM) officially broke ground on Grand Village, an affordable housing community for families, on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the site of the former Grand Motel.
Grand Village is the newest development in HNM's Live Oak initiative, which provides attainable housing for families with children. The housing community will provide 30 homes at affordable rents suitable for families of all sizes.
"Every family deserves a place to live, a neighbor to know, and a community to be part of. Grand Village makes that possible," said HNM President and CEO Lila Anna Sauls. "This project has been almost three years in the making, and none of it would have been possible without the dedication and generosity of our incredible partners."
The $12.8 million project is the result of a collaborative effort between numerous partner organizations including South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority, United Way of the Midlands, Richland County, SC Community Loan Fund, Dominion Energy, First Citizens Bank, and the Central Carolina Community Foundation.
"We know the Midlands is facing a shortage of an estimated 50,000 units of attainable housing, and addressing that need will take all of us," said United Way of the Midlands President and CEO Sara Fawcett. "That's why we're working alongside partners like Homeless No More and investing in our community's ability to develop new, innovative housing solutions that reach the people who need them the most."
Grand Village includes the James E. Christopher Community Center, named for long-time HNM board member and advocate for vulnerable families. The center will serve as a hub for services such as children's mentoring programs, financial literacy classes, and community gatherings, making the development a true asset to the neighborhood. Grand Village is part new construction and part rehabilitation of the derelict Grand Motel that was built in the 1950s. HNM acquired the property in 2023.
"Meaningful second chances provide the opportunity to change lives," said Dominion Energy President Keller Kissam. "We are proud to partner with the United Way and Homeless No More to transition this property into affordable housing and transform lives through stability, dignity, and opportunity."
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HNM is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating family homelessness. The organization serves homeless and at-risk families with children through emergency services (Family Shelter), transitional services (St. Lawrence Place), and affordable housing development (Live Oak). HNM remains the only shelter system in South Carolina that keeps the entire family together, including fathers and boys older than 12. For more information, visit www.homelessnomoresc.org.