The News wins Sidney Award for Cost of Unity series on Greenville's affordable housing issues

The Greenville News was honored with a Sidney Award from the Sidney Hillman Foundation for its Cost of Unity Park series that published in January.

The Sidney is a monthly award for "outstanding investigative journalism that exposes social and economic injustices."

“This story shows how gentrification can be disguised as equity,” said Sidney judge Lindsay Beyerstein, “The saga of Unity Park reveals how the repercussions of segregation still reverberate to the present day.”

The News will donate its $500 honorarium to the 2023 Holiday Sunshine Fund, which benefits Greenville area nonprofits.

Greenville needs more affordable housingWe talked to experts and officials about solutions.

The Hillman Prize program launched in 1950. According to the Sidney Hillman Foundation's website, "the program aims to honor and foster investigative reporting and deep storytelling in service of the common good."

"This is quite an honor for The News and our hard-working team of reporters, photographers and editors," interim executive editor Gabe Whisnant said. "Through impactful personal stories, we believe Cost of Unity sheds light on the need for an ongoing discussion regarding Greenville's need for more affordable housing. We're proud of our role in being able to tell our area's most important stories."

Gabe Whisnant is the interim editor for the Greenville News. Reach him via email at gwhisnant@gannett.com.