The Front Porch Newsletter - June 2026

Friday, Jun 26, 2026

June 2026

SC Housing celebrates June as Homeownership Month

June is National Homeownership Month, a time to recognize the transformative impact homeownership has on families, communities, and the broader economy.

At SC Housing, Homeownership Month is an opportunity to celebrate the thousands of South Carolinians who have achieved the dream of owning a home and to reaffirm the agency’s commitment to expanding access to affordable homeownership opportunities across the state.

For generations, homeownership has represented stability, financial security, and the opportunity to build wealth. It strengthens neighborhoods, creates a sense of belonging, and provides families with a foundation for long-term success. Through a variety of programs and resources, SC Housing helps make homeownership attainable for first-time homebuyers, working families, and underserved communities.

As housing affordability challenges continue to affect families across South Carolina, the role of homebuyer assistance programs has never been more important.

One example is SC Housing’s Palmetto Heroes program, which provides mortgage financing and down payment assistance to teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, nurses, veterans, and other public service professionals. The 2026 program generated overwhelming demand, exhausting its available funding in just four weeks and helping 272 South Carolinians purchase homes through more than $72 million in mortgage financing and assistance.

That demand is reflected across SC Housing’s homeownership portfolio. Between May 2025 and April 2026, SC Housing helped finance the purchase of 2,678 homes through more than $673 million in first-time homebuyer assistance.

For more information about SC Housing’s homebuyer programs, visit schousing.sc.gov/homebuyers, call 803.896.2211, or email mortgage.production@schousing.com.

Throughout Homeownership Month and beyond, SC Housing remains committed to helping more South Carolinians achieve the stability, opportunity, and prosperity that come with owning a home.

SC Housing adds two new commissioners to governing body

SC Housing recently welcomed two new members to its Board of Commissioners, bringing extensive experience in finance, mortgage banking, and strategic leadership to the agency.

Toby Goodlett joined the Board of Commissioners in April as Governor Henry McMaster’s designee. A veteran of the mortgage banking industry, Goodlett has more than 25 years of experience in executive leadership roles across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. He currently serves as executive vice president and retail services executive for First Citizens Bank, where he oversees sales finance and mortgage operations.

A native of Spartanburg, Goodlett is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, the School of Mortgage Banking, and the MBA Future Leaders program. He holds the Certified Mortgage Banker designation and previously served as president of the Mortgage Bankers of the Carolinas.

Matthew (“Matt”) Zackon was appointed to the Board of Commissioners in May. Zackon serves as chief strategy officer at Tax Credit Marketplace and has more than 15 years of experience working with institutional investors, corporate executives, CPAs, and wealth management professionals. He has advised major banking institutions on financial regulations and worked with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Zackon holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and earned both his Juris Doctor and International MBA from the University of South Carolina. He is a member of the Leadership South Carolina Class of 2025 and serves on the board of Focused Living Ministries.

SC Housing looks forward to the leadership, expertise, and perspective both commissioners will bring as the agency continues its mission of creating quality, affordable housing opportunities for South Carolinians.

Toby Goodlett Matthew Zackon

Ad Hoc Housing Committee hosts listening sessions across South Carolina

Members of both chambers of the General Assembly (House and Senate) have a bipartisan working group looking at housing policy for the upcoming 2027-2028 legislative session. They are taking this conversation directly to the community to determine what actions they can take to address housing affordability and availability in our state.

This summer, the committee is hosting four regional housing listening sessions where community members, housing professionals, faith leaders, service providers, and local leaders can share their experiences and ideas directly with policymakers. This will be an opportunity to better understand the housing landscape in each community, explore needs and gaps, and engage in dialogue about possible solutions.

Please plan on joining SC Housing and other groups from across South Carolina at one of the statewide Housing Listening Sessions to share your experiences and provide feedback on how we can improve housing affordability and availability in our state.

Listening sessions are scheduled for:

undefined

During remarks on the South Carolina Senate floor earlier this year, lawmakers highlighted the importance of addressing housing affordability and invited colleagues to participate in the Housing Listening Sessions.

Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine noted that she, Sen. Jeff Zell, Rep. Carla Schuessler, and other members of the General Assembly have been working together through an ad hoc committee to discuss affordable housing needs across South Carolina.