S.C. Code Ann. § 31-3-540
Rental and tenant selections
Operative Text
In the operation or management of housing projects, an authority shall at all times observe the following duties with respect to rentals and tenant selection: (1) It may rent or lease the dwelling accommodations in the projects only to persons of low income or to persons of moderate to low income and at rentals within the financial reach of such persons; (2) It may rent or lease to a tenant dwelling accommodations consisting of the number of rooms, but no greater number, which it considers necessary to provide safe and sanitary accommodations to the proposed occupants of the accommodations, without overcrowding.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 31-3-540, housing authorities in South Carolina are required to follow specific rules when renting units in public housing projects. Dwelling accommodations may only be offered to low-income or moderate-to-low-income individuals, and rents must be set at levels those residents can reasonably afford. Additionally, the number of rooms leased to any household may not exceed what the authority determines is necessary to house the occupants safely and without overcrowding.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Housing authorities operating public housing projects under S.C. Code Ann. § 31-3-540 are expected to maintain income-eligibility screening processes that confirm prospective tenants qualify as low-income or moderate-to-low-income. Compliant operators also set rent levels that remain within the financial reach of those income groups and apply occupancy standards that match unit size to household size—assigning no more rooms than are needed for safe, sanitary, and non-overcrowded conditions. Documenting both income determinations and occupancy assessments helps demonstrate ongoing compliance with these statutory duties.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
S.C. Code Ann. § 31-3-540 establishes that tenants in public housing projects have a right to be charged rents within their financial reach and to be placed in a unit appropriately sized for their household. If a tenant believes a housing authority has assigned a unit that does not meet these standards—or has set a rent that exceeds what the statute contemplates—they may raise that concern as a potential violation of this provision. Tenants can explore options such as filing a complaint with the relevant housing authority, contacting a local tenant-rights organization, or consulting a legal aid office familiar with South Carolina public housing law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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