The grant will be used to build the first “Tiny House” affordable housing project in South Carolina. Summerton, SC— The Town of Summerton has been named a recipient of a 2020 AARP Community Challenge grant, one of five grantees selected in South Carolina. The grant will be used to create the Summerton Hemp House Project, which will be the first “Tiny House” affordable housing project in South Carolina. The Project will provide healthy, quality, safe, and decent affordable housing located within walking distance of Downtown Summerton restaurants, stores and shops. “On behalf of the Town of Summerton, we are so honored and excited to be selected for the AARP Community Challenge Grant.  This award makes it possible for our town to do more to provide greater access to affordable, robust, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly housing opportunities.  THANK YOU AARP for this award!”  Mac Bagnal, Mayor, Town of Summerton, SC This project is part of the largest number of Community Challenge grants to date with more than $2.4 million awarded among 184 organizations nationwide. Grantees will implement “quick-action” projects to create more livable communities across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All projects are expected to be completed by February 15, 2021 and are designed to achieve one or more of the following outcomes:

• Create vibrant public places by improving open spaces and parks and activating main streets.
• Deliver a range of transportation and mobility options by increasing connectivity, walkability, bikeability, wayfinding, and access a wider range of transportation choices.
• Encourage the availability of a range of housing by increasing accessible and affordable housing solutions.
• Increase civic engagement and demonstrate the tangible value of “Smart Cities” by bringing together local leaders and residents from all backgrounds to address challenges.
• Support coronavirus response and recovery efforts by ensuring older adults’ access to information, essential services, and civic life.

“We are incredibly excited to support The Town of Summerton as they work to make immediate improvements in the community, encourage promising ideas and jumpstart long-term change,” shared Teresa Arnold, State Director. “Our goal at AARP South Carolina is to support the efforts of our communities to be great places for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities and the coronavirus pandemic has only underscored the importance of this work.” Other South Carolina grantees include the City of Columbia, the City of Myrtle Beach, Greenville County Parks, Recreation, & Tourism as well as Mill Community Ministries in Greenville County. The full list of grantees can be found at www.aarp.org/communitychallenge. The Community Challenge grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which helps communities become great places to live for residents of all ages. View an interactive map of all of the Community Challengeprojects and AARP South Carolina’s livable communities work at www.aarp.org/livable.