SC Housing Executive Director Richard Hutto will retire on Jan. 2, 2026. (Photo courtesy of SC Housing)
COLUMBIA — The head of South Carolina’s affordable housing agency is retiring after more than 30 years on the job.
Richard Hutto’s last day in office will be Jan. 2, 2026, the agency announced.
Hutto has led SC Housing as executive director since 2023, taking over after the previous director, Bonita Shopshire, resigned, according to agency spokesman Matt McColl.
“Richard stepped into this role at a crucial moment and helped steer the agency with transparency, strategy and an honest dedication to the mission,” SC Housing Board Chairman Todd Latiff said in a statement. “He has never viewed this job as merely work. He sees it as a responsibility to the people of this state. His leadership has made a difference for thousands of families, and it will continue to shape this agency long after his retirement.”
Hutto’s past roles with the housing agency, where he’s worked since 1994, include stints as a deputy director, contract director and a financial underwriter.
During Hutto’s tenure as housing chief the agency set multiple records for both the amount of financial assistance granted to first-time homebuyers and the number of residents aided by the home buying program, McColl said.
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The agency went from granting $289 million worth of aid to some 1,400 home buyers during the state budget year that ended June 30, 2023, to $465 million worth of aid to 1,990 buyers in the budget year that ended this past June.
Hutto also helped pilot a new program incentivizing home builders to construct 130 affordable homes in the state in an effort to boost the housing supply.
As Hutto retires, agency leadership declared SC Housing to be on “solid footing” and “financially strong.”
Robert Macdonald, SC Housing’s current chief of staff, will step into the executive director role following Hutto’s retirement.
Hutto’s salary as agency head is $180,000, according to the state Department of Administration.
