Nashville program to support faith-based institutional landowners to create affordable housing.
City: Nashville, TN
Purpose: To equip faith-based institutions (FBIs) with the tools, resources, and expertise to convert underutilized land into affordable housing.
Lead Stakeholders: City, Private Sector, Faith-Based Institutions
Process: In August 2024, Metro Nashville successfully received a $5 million federal PRO Housing grant to support a faith-based development initiative. This successful federal grant application leveraged efforts led by a local coalition (ThinkTN, ULMT, ULI Nashville, Urban Housing Solutions, and Hawkins Partners) that included the development of multiple resource guides and a summer of FBI convenings. These efforts were inspired by research that showed 2,017 of 3,491 acres (57%) of land owned by faith-based institutions in Davidson County could be converted into housing.
Metro Nashville will develop and convene cohorts of FBIs interested in affordable housing development and support access to technical assistance and pre-development resources such as legal counsel, architectural firms, and grant writers. Nashville will continue its support for faith-based affordable housing units through ongoing guidance on processes such as financing, permitting, and construction.
Outcomes:
- Builds on the success of other Nashville churches who have completed or are currently constructing nearly 400 units.
- Leverages existing financial resources (Barnes Fund, federal grants) in conjunction with committed landowners.
View or download PDF of the Faith-Based Institutions & Housing Initiative
case study.
