Tennessee Housing Grants

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and public housing authorities in Tennessee for the development and preservation of affordable rental housing for low-income individuals, the elderly, and special needs populations.

This program provides assistance to low-income households to improve energy efficiency in their homes, helping them reduce fuel costs and conserve energy through measures like insulation and weatherproofing.

The Hardest Hit Fund Blight Elimination Program (BEP) assists with the removal of blighted properties in targeted areas within the state of Tennessee. Removing these properties will help to reduce foreclosures, promote neighborhood stabilization, and maintain property values. BEP is designed as a targeted, first come first served program to lend recaptured HHF funds for the demolition and/or acquisition and demolition of blighted one to four unit residential structures in targeted areas to assist in neighborhood stabilization and in preventing foreclosure by helping to stem decline in home values. To be eligible, entities must submit applications that meet BEP requirements and THDA's goals for blight elimination.

Designed to help provide safe and sound housing to households of low income, veterans, seniors, and homeowners with special needs through loans for repairs or improvements. To correct, repair, or replace an essential system and/or critical structural problem for low-income homeowners who are elderly (60+) or disabled. This is not a comprehensive home renovation program; the aim is to stabilize the homeowner's residence by making essential repairs to make the home more livable. If you are a homeowner interested in receiving a grant or loan to rehabilitate your home, please contact your local ERP agency.

Competitive grant process. Rental housing development program designed to encourage the production and preservation of affordable rental housing. Two competitive grant rounds offered during the spring and fall of each year. THDA's Tennessee Housing Trust Fund Competitive Grants are awarded to agencies for the purpose of developing and/or preserving rental housing for low- and very-low income households, the elderly, and those with special needs. Examples of special needs populations include the disabled, formerly incarcerated individuals, victims of domestic abuse, and youth aging out of foster care.

The Rebuild and Recover Disaster Program, initiated by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, aims to aid local communities in recovering from weather-related incidents. Eligible incidents include those with significant damage to owner-occupied homes, either without a Presidential Disaster Declaration or with one necessitating federal assistance before completion of a damage assessment. Grants, ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, are available to affected city or county governments. Funds can be utilized for rehabilitation, demolition, relocation, and administrative costs. For more details, contact Toni Shaw at [email protected] or refer to the program description and forms provided.

Credit against federal tax liability for investors in the construction or rehabilitation of affordable rental housing. The Low-Income Housing Credit is a credit against federal income tax liability each year for 10 years for owners and investors in low-income rental housing. The amount of tax credits is based on reasonable costs of development, as determined by THDA, and the number of qualified low-income units.

Federal program designed to assist low income households, particularly those who pay a high proportion of household income for home energy bills, meet their immediate home energy needs by providing an annual energy benefit. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is 100 percent federally funded through a grant from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. LIHEAP provides funds to the states to help meet the utility costs of low-income eligible elderly and disabled adults.

This program provides funding to build wheelchair ramps and make home modifications for individuals with mobility disabilities in Tennessee, ensuring they have better access to their homes.

Minor home repair program for elderly and disabled homeowners. The program is administered by development district and human resource agency partners on a statewide basis. To correct, repair, or replace an essential system and/or critical structural problem for low-income homeowners who are elderly (60+) or disabled. This is not a comprehensive home renovation program; the aim is to stabilize the homeowner's residence by making essential repairs to make the home more livable.

Federal program designed to help homeless individuals / families enter into a shelter with the goal of finding affordable housing or maintain affordable housing. THDA administers the federally funded Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program for the state of Tennessee in 92 of the state's 95 counties in order to fund the provision of services necessary to help persons who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness to quickly regain stability in permanent housing.

The THDA Challenge Grant Program provides initial seed funding to support the private fundraising efforts of nonprofit organizations across Tennessee to implement housing and related activities that represent unique milestones, are part of a broad community initiative, or are part of a significant expansion of work outside the normal day-to-day activities of the organization. Selected proposals must generate cash leverage of at least 300% within nine months of THDA’s commitment of Challenge Grant resources to the housing initiative.

Provides gap funding to eligible nonprofit entities to help cover the costs to build new construction or substantially rehabilitate homes in distressed communities where property values still have not recovered. The Appraisal Gap Pilot Program (“Gap Program”) is a pilot program designed to provide a subsidy to eligible nonprofit entities, based on the difference or gap between the costs to build new homes or to substantially rehabilitate homes and the appraised value of the home that the nonprofit will sell to an eligible buyer. The Gap Program Subsidy may not fill the entire gap. The Gap Program’s goal is to expand the availability of affordable housing in areas of the state where property values have not fully recovered from the mortgage crisis.