If you sign a contract this week for a Lugoff home that hasn't been built yet, a county allotment will help decide when construction starts. Since May 13, 2026, unincorporated Kershaw County has issued residential building permits in six-month batches. The first batch closes October 31. The second opens November 1, and in April, Kershaw County Council approved a smaller cap for that second period.
In unincorporated Kershaw County, council now sets how many new homes can start in each period. Within the share set aside for major subdivisions, the rules give first claim on 80% of permits to projects whose site plans are already approved. So for the next two years, new subdivision homes in Lugoff will tilt toward communities that were approved before the queue began.
The rule that decides who builds first
Kershaw County Council passed the building permit allocation system 5-2 on May 12, 2026. The Kershaw County Current reported that before the vote, Councilman Derek Shoemake said Kershaw would become the first county in South Carolina to adopt this kind of system.
Shoemake represents the Elgin-Lugoff district, according to WLTX. His amendment, passed at the final vote, added the provision that matters most to buyers. Within the major-subdivision category, 80% of permits are reserved for projects that already have approved site plans. Shoemake said the point was to keep a newly approved project from taking a large share of the available permits right away.
Here is how the county's tracker divides the permits, based on the Current's July report:
| Pool | What it covers | Share of Category A | May–October 2026 allotment | Priority rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category A, inside major subdivisions | Single-family homes, manufactured homes, duplexes through quadplexes | 40% | 88 permits | 80% reserved for projects with approved site plans |
| Category A, outside major subdivisions | The same home types, built outside major subdivisions | 60% | 131 permits | No single applicant may take more than 20% |
| Category B | Apartments and accessory apartments such as mother-in-law suites | Separate category | Tracked separately | Multifamily and ADUs share one pool |
In practice, a subdivision that was already approved and already building sits at the front of the inside-subdivision pool. A project approved after the system started competes for the remaining slice.
Two Lugoff communities selling this fall
Two Lugoff communities were selling homes this fall. Ask either builder where its site plan stands, since that decides its place in the priority rule. D.R. Horton's Gates Village, at 26 Horatio Lane, was listed as now selling with homes from $270,000 on a recent check of the builder's page. Its listed homes included a 1,475-square-foot plan at $272,500 and a 1,774-square-foot plan at $290,000.
Haven Homes' Sylvan Ridge, at 102 Middlesex Court, is reached from I-20 Exit 92 at US 601 by way of Main Street and Richardson Boulevard. As of late September 2026, the builder described its plans as starting in the high $200,000s. It also listed a move-in-ready home at 118 Middlesex Court for $316,698, along with other homes under construction.
Builder prices change often, so treat these as snapshots rather than sale prices. The more useful point is the difference between the two kinds of homes. A finished home at Sylvan Ridge already has its permit. A plan you choose from a brochure does not, and its start date depends on the builder's place in the county's allotment.
Why the second batch is smaller
The county arrived at this system in steps. In July 2025, it paused new subdivision applications above five residential lots in unincorporated areas for 255 days. That pause expired April 3, 2026. The county also adopted impact fees on July 22, 2025, for new single-family homes, multifamily units, manufactured homes and commercial buildings.
The volume the cap is managing shows up in the county's 2025 annual report. It counts 494 new residential units permitted countywide in 2025: 324 single-family homes, 53 multifamily units and 117 manufactured homes.
The cap tightens on a schedule. The amendment council approved on second reading April 28, according to the meeting transcript, sets four six-month periods:
- May through October 2026: no reduction.
- November 2026 through April 2027: a 15% reduction.
- The third period: a 20% reduction.
- The fourth period: a 20% reduction.
The same amendment says council may adjust these numbers at the end of each six-month interval. At the May 12 final reading, Shoemake described the numbers as set for a two-year window, with council free to revisit them whenever needed. Builders and buyers are planning against a schedule that council can change.
Demand is rising nearby. Scout Motors' April 2026 update describes a $2 billion production center in Blythewood that is projected to bring more than 4,000 permanent jobs, plus a supplier park expected to support about 1,000 more. That is regional employment, not a measured Lugoff effect. Still, those jobs are coming as Kershaw County's new-home supply is being cut back on purpose.
Where a contract meets the queue
Early in the first period, the queue had room. As of the July 6 tracker update, 59% of the major-subdivision allotment and 70% of the outside allotment remained, the Current reported.
"There hasn't been a rush from the developers in these major subdivisions. It's kind of on par with what we've always been seeing."
Hoover, who presented the tracker for the county, told the Current he still expected the major-subdivision cap could fill, since only a handful of developments are active. If a category fills, the tracker shows a waitlist with applicants in order. Applicants then wait for the next period, according to the Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina. An application isn't complete until the permit fee is paid, so a builder can't hold a spot without paying.
That turns into three practical questions for a buyer:
- Is the permit for this home already issued? A finished or under-construction home has cleared the queue. A to-be-built plan may not have.
- Which pool is this home in? A house in a major subdivision draws from a different allotment than a custom home on a lot outside one. The two pools fill at different rates.
- What does the contract say about timing? If the builder's permit lands in a later period, the start date can move.
The county tracker updates every Monday, so you can check the current numbers yourself before you sign.
Resale sellers have a part in this too. The cap is designed to limit how many new homes get built in unincorporated Kershaw County. New homes are one source of competition for an existing house listed in Lugoff, so a smaller batch on November 1 changes what an existing house competes against.
The town line matters
Lugoff is unincorporated, so it falls under county permitting. The towns next door run their own permit offices. The Town of Elgin says SAFEbuilt handles permitting, plan review and inspections for projects "within town limits." The City of Camden requires its own building permit for construction "within city limits." The 2025 moratorium explicitly applied to unincorporated areas. If you're comparing a new home inside Elgin or Camden with one in Lugoff, ask Kershaw County planning directly whether the allocation system covers that address.
This post is general information about a county ordinance, not legal or financial advice. Confirm how it applies to your own contract with the county and with an attorney or other qualified professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the permit cap affect buying an existing Lugoff home? The allocation system governs residential building permits for new construction. Its effect on resale homes is indirect. It limits how many new homes get built, and those new homes compete with existing ones for buyers.
Can council change the November numbers? Yes. The April 28 amendment allows council to adjust the numbers at the end of each six-month interval, and the final version lets council re-evaluate the system at any time.
Did everyone support the system? No. Council passed it 5-2. The Current reported that builders and development advocates warned it could affect housing affordability, small builders and projects that were already approved.
If you're weighing a Lugoff new build against a resale home before the November 1 batch opens, Bowen & Associates Realty can go through the permit status and timing on the homes you're considering. Schedule a free consultation, or get an instant home valuation if you're selling into this market.
