Columbia Housing Authority Begins $14M Walkway Redevelopment

The project renovates 16 apartments and builds nine new units at the Providence Walkway site near downtown Columbia.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Apartments

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of a wooden walkway frame being rebuilt on a brick apartment block, with new framing beside an older section. — The Columbia Housing Authority began a roughly $14 million redevelopment of the Providence Walkway apartments, adding 25 affordable units near downtown. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Columbia Housing Authority has started a roughly $14 million redevelopment of the Providence Walkway apartments, which will provide 25 affordable rental units. The project renovates 16 existing apartments and replaces demolished buildings with nine newly constructed apartments.

Why it matters

The redevelopment addresses limited insulation, shifting foundations and footings, and sewer line breaks, along with older units that lacked high-speed internet and enough electrical amperage to power a dryer. For residents of Columbia seeking affordable housing near downtown, the upgrades aim to make the units more livable and energy efficient.

The project combines federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, HUD resources, and local public and private investments to fund roughly $14 million in work on 25 affordable apartments. Eligibility is capped at 50% of area median income, and the completion timeline for the renovations and new construction has not been specified.

The players

Columbia Housing Authority

The local public agency that owns and manages the Providence Walkway apartments and is overseeing the redevelopment using a mix of federal, state, and private funding.

The details

Crews have demolished an older laundry facility, completed stormwater and water infrastructure work, and removed materials from apartments ahead of renovation. The Housing Authority will temporarily relocate residents during construction, pay all moving costs and utility hookups, and help them return to their apartments afterward, with a project-based voucher attached to each unit.

Thursday, before November 6, 2026: The Columbia Housing Authority celebrated the roughly $14 million redevelopment.

Market Landscape

The Providence Walkway redevelopment layers Low-Income Housing Tax Credits onto a public housing site, a financing approach used nationally to preserve and expand affordable rentals. By combining tax credits with tax-exempt bonds and HUD resources, the project follows a common model for keeping subsidized units in service as older buildings age.

Current residents of the Providence Walkway apartments will be temporarily relocated during construction, with moving costs and utility hookups paid by the Housing Authority. Each unit will carry a project-based voucher, and residents will be helped to return to updated apartments with energy-efficiency improvements.

The takeaway

Affordable housing upgrades like Providence Walkway show how public agencies can combine federal credits, bonds, and local investment to rehabilitate aging units while keeping rents restricted. Residents facing relocation should confirm moving-cost coverage and voucher terms with their housing authority before construction begins.