Jenny Costa Honeycutt, a Republican and Charleston County councilor, is running for Congress in South Carolina’s 1st District, where affordable housing is poised to be a critical issue. Her Democratic opponent is retired Navy officer Nancy Lacore.
Honeycutt owns Costa Honeycutt LLC, a law firm that advocates for “construction professionals” such as contractors and engineers. Her role involves handling lawsuits from the discovery phase through to trial, according to the firm’s website.
The Charleston Housing Authority’s 2021 initiative to acquire land on the county’s upper peninsula for affordable housing faced staunch opposition from Honeycutt, who argued the land should be sold to the highest bidder. Despite her resistance, the council designated the area for affordable housing, a decision Honeycutt criticized as a “cooked-up back-room deal involving who knows who.”
In a separate instance, Honeycutt supported a referendum to extend a transportation sales tax for expanding the Mark Clark I-526 Expressway. The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, a significant contributor to Honeycutt’s campaigns, backed this project. However, it faced opposition from the Coastal Conservation League due to potential environmental impacts on the Stono River.
The referendum ultimately did not pass, but criticism arose from residents, accusing Honeycutt of prioritizing the interests of developers and realtors over those of the community.
Additionally, Honeycutt opposed two Charleston County council initiatives aimed at protecting historic sites from development: a 10-year moratorium on large-scale housing developments and a 2-year building moratorium on historic sites linked to African American communities. Both measures were approved despite her objections.
In recent developments, Honeycutt voted in favor of a tax incentive project that grants developers up to $4.5 million in tax breaks. Her congressional campaign has received over $44,000 from developers and real estate companies, including $10,000 from billionaire developers Benjamin and Kelly Navarro. Contributions from contractors and construction firm employees have exceeded $28,000.
While Honeycutt’s campaign acknowledges high housing costs, it lacks specific proposals for cost reduction. Conversely, Lacore’s platform outlines an eight-point strategy to address housing affordability, focusing on corporate landlord regulation and tax credits for first-time homebuyers.
Current polls indicate Honeycutt holds a notable advantage in the race, though her lead is not beyond reach for Lacore.
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