Mayor John Cooper today announced the hiring of Angela Hubbard as Nashville’s housing director, a doubling of the city’s federal funding allocation for affordable housing, and $16.5 million in grant funding to local housing nonprofits.
“I committed to stepping up Nashville’s affordable housing efforts and we are doing just that through record levels of investment and hiring a visionary leader as Metro’s first Director of Housing to work outside of the Mayor’s Office,” said Mayor Cooper. “I promised to institutionalize the city’s affordable housing efforts both by bringing on additional expertise and moving the Barnes Fund into a standing department – today I can announce that we have done just that. We just completed the largest funding round ever for the Barnes Fund thanks to increased investment in our budget. We have added housing staff capacity and have now hired a Director of Housing to lead a new division of housing within the Planning Department. And thanks to support from the Metro Council, we are set to double the federal funds commitment I made this spring.”
“Together, we are making strong and steady progress on this vital issue for our community. We head into the new year with renewed momentum thanks to unprecedented efforts for affordable housing in Nashville,” added Mayor Cooper.
Today’s developments are the latest in Mayor Cooper’s affordable housing strategy, which he presented during his April 29th State of Metro address.
A City Housing Director & Housing Division: Two Firsts for Nashville
Angela Hubbard joins Metro government on January 3 to lead Metro’s new housing division. The team – including a data analyst and Barnes Fund staff – will focus on Nashville’s entire housing strategy, including affordable housing, as they make evidence-based funding recommendations, ensure the highest level of impact for dollars spent and track the city’s affordable housing inventory in a central database. Hubbard will add to Metro’s important partnership with the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) and work closely with its new director Dr. Troy White.
“The Planning Department sees, firsthand, the immense need for housing - especially quality affordable housing - in our community,” said Lucy Kempf, Metro Planning executive director. Kempf’s department oversees the city’s zoning and housing policies.
“I’m excited to work with a team, led by the incredibly talented Angela Hubbard, that will fully focus on finding the appropriate local tools, funding streams, and policy, to work with various Metro agencies and partners to help bridge this gap in our community,” Kempf added.
Hubbard brings more than 20 years’ experience to the role, including as economic and community development director for the Greater Nashville Regional Council and a decade-long stint at the MDHA.
“I am thrilled to see Mayor Cooper's continued commitment to addressing the city's housing – especially affordable housing – needs and am deeply honored to join Metro Government in creating a comprehensive, unified housing strategy,” said Angela Hubbard. “I am ready to pick up the great work of the Affordable Housing Task Force and collaborate with Metro colleagues and affordable housing partners to implement actions that will help Nashvillians struggling with housing insecurity.”
$55 Million in Federal Funds for Affordable Housing
The mayor is proud to support a historic level of funding for affordable housing from the city’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) allocation. The ARP funds can have a transformative impact and can help unlock additional state and federal funding pots. It follows Council’s request, led by Councilmember Colby Sledge, to double the mayor’s initial $20 million allocation. This doubling better aligns with federal timeline requirements for spending ARP dollars.
Total Investments this Year Exceed $70 Million
The federal funds bring the city’s total affordable housing investments for this fiscal year, in ARP and city operating dollars, to $72.5M including:
- $32.5 million for Barnes Fund ($20 million ARP + $12.5 million operating dollars)
- $20 million (ARP) for the newly created Catalyst Fund, so Metro can work with an experienced fund manager to move quickly to preserve at-risk housing units
- $15 million (ARP) to MDHA, to unlock infrastructure, accelerating the construction of 1,100 units and gap-finance the construction of another 100 units at the new Envision Cayce community in East Nashville
- $3 million for a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) program, to incentive the private-sector creation of affordable units
- $2 million for infrastructure participation agreements on affordable housing projects
- A project to create affordable housing on three acres of city-owned land on 24th Ave. N.
The Barnes Fund: Supporting Nashville’s Affordable Housing Nonprofits
A total of $16.5 million in grant funding moves forward as Mayor Cooper this week will recommend fourteen Barnes Fund applications to Metro Council. This is the largest funding round in the history of the Barnes Fund.
Altogether, they represent a $16,497,279 investment in local housing nonprofits, for projects that include:
- Single-family and duplex homeownership opportunities for large and small families
- Expansive, multi-phase rental developments
- Housing for formerly incarcerated people
- Home repairs and energy efficiency upgrades, so elderly residents can remain in the homes they choose as they age
“For the past six years, the Barnes Fund for Affordable Housing has been a valued partner in helping our organization grow in our capacity and mission to serve families,” said Mark Wright, executive director of Be a Helping Hand, one of local nonprofits set to receive grant funding.
“Being a small nonprofit, the Barnes Fund has worked with our organization to overcome development barriers. Kudos to the Barnes Fund staff, review committee and Board of Directors for taking on the enormous task of continuing to provide affordable housing while being a valued partner to our organization,” Wright added.
The nonprofits included in the mayor’s recommendations include: Be a Helping Hand; Habitat for Humanity; Living Development Concepts, Inc.; The Mary Parrish Center; Aphesis House, Inc.; Clark Memorial UMC CDC; Westminster Home Connection; Urban Housing Solutions; Rebuilding Together Nashville; Inspiritus, Inc.; Woodbine Community Organization and Southeast Community Capital Corporation.