CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – The Charleston Area Justice Ministry (CAJM) held a press conference prior to one of the last Housing Our Future Plan public input sessions to show support for some components of the plan, which they say aligns with their mission and values.

“We are a social justice organization made up of over 40 congregations and supporting organizations,” CAJM member Claudette Hart said. “We are diverse in our faith traditions, as well as racially, economically and politically.”

CAJM says they understand the serious need for affordable housing in Charleston County.

“We are passionate about Charleston becoming a more just place to live,” Hart said.

Which is why the organization voiced their support for certain components of the county’s Housing Our Future Plan.

“We support the establishment of an affordable housing trust fund,” Hart said. “We support the recommendation for a dedicated source of funding. We support a standing housing advisory committee.”

However, in a recently-released memo written by the  county’s former Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization department director, he says there are a number of problems with county government that could potentially thwart the plan’s successful implementation. This has CAJM concerned.

“The first one is a culture of racially motivated implicit bias within county government,” Hart said. “Unnecessary tension between the Charleston Area Justice Ministry and county council.”

Now, the group is asking for the proper action to be taken to ensure the Housing Our Future Plan comes to fruition.

“We are calling on the Charleston County Council to do right, right now,” Hart said.

News 2 has reached out to Charleston County Government for comment on this matter but have not heard back at this time.