Josh Branham of Greater Chattanooga Realtors told commissioners that Hamilton County's housing inventory has fallen sharply in recent years while demand has remained steady.

On June 25 Josh Branham, governmental affairs director for Greater Chattanooga Realtors, presented housing-market data to the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners showing a sustained decline in active listings and months of inventory. Branham said Hamilton County's months of inventory — the number of months it would take to sell all homes on the market assuming no new listings — has fallen well below the 6-month balance point used by HUD, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. "Currently...we're currently sitting at 1.2," Branham said when summarizing 2025 data so far.

Branham gave several data points to illustrate the shift: average monthly active listings have dropped from the mid‑hundreds/low‑thousands in the 2000s to roughly 439 currently; new monthly listings fell from about 552 per month in 2020 to roughly 324 per month through early 2025; median sold price for Hamilton County in 2024 was "just shy of $378,000," he said. He also noted sold properties per month have been relatively steady (for example, about 429 in 2006, peaking near 616 in 2021), which suggests demand remains but supply is constrained.

Branham said the combination of limited supply and steady demand has pushed prices higher and reduced choices for buyers. He characterized the problem as one of supply more than demand: "This isn't a demand issue. It's a supply problem," he told commissioners. He recommended that the association stand ready to help county leaders with data and to collaborate on land-use policy, zoning or infrastructure changes that could increase housing production.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions. Doctor Mackey, Commissioner Sharp, and others noted the economic ripple effects of housing activity for trades and local jobs; Branham agreed the sector supports a broader construction economy. Commissioners also raised questions about building permits and starts; Branham said the Realtors' data covers sold and listed properties and that new-start data is tracked by builders' associations.

The presentation provided local context commissioners cited in subsequent debate about the Plan Hamilton process and the temporary plat moratorium.