Metanoia

Housing development:metanoia is a non-profit housing developer focused on the same distressed communities where we operate our leadership programming. As a certified community housing development organization (chdo), we offer repairs to homeowners on a low fixed income. We also acquire and renovate vacant properties and build new homes for both affordable homeownership and rental opportunities. Metanoia is also land banking property for future affordable housing in a community that is threatened by gentrification. Metanoia is also working with local policy makers to ensure the creation of additional affordable housing in our region along a soon to be built bus rapid transit line.

Economic development:metanoia seeks the economic revitalization of the communities we serve that is beneficial to the current residents within those communities. We have done this through offering training to minority contractors, starting student run small businesses, providing a local manufacturer a low interest loan for expansion to create additional jobs and working on the revitalization of a downtown commercial strip through the neighborhood. Metanoia is also working on the adaptive reuse of the former chicora elementary school a 57,000 sq/ft facility that will house an early learning center, a charter school, and a center for the arts. Metanoia is also working with local municipal leaders to support small business infrastructure within the communities we serve.

Leadership development (myla - Metanoia youth leadership academy):the Metanoia youth leadership academy offers year-round leadership development for students in the most distressed neighborhoods in north charleston. We offer after school programming for 35 students during the school year and 75 students during the summer months. We serve students from 1st to 12th grades and offer internships for college graduates that have been students in our programs. Metanoia students outperform their peers on standardized testing and attend college at a much higher rate than their peer groups. As a part of this effort, Metanoia also operates a youth entrepreneurship center that trains middle and high school students in entrepreneurship and small business skills. Students also have the opportunity to learn financial literacy and open college savings accounts to which Metanoia awards matching dollars for each dollar of their own earnings that they are able to save.

Call to action: Metanoia works with the citizens of the community to mobilize community voice around issues that they identify as important. The organization has worked to organize the community to get a new elementary school built, change neighborhood zoning laws, and achieve mitigation funding from a rail facility being built adjacent to the community. Metanoia also hosts volunteers that work in partnership with community residents on projects and programs that benefit the community. Any organizing of the community around issues of importance is non-partisan and issue oriented.