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Director Hubbard presents Unified Housing Strategy outlining 7 strategies and 10‑year implementation plan
Summary
Metro’s Unified Housing Strategy (UHS) presentation to the committee laid out seven strategies, more than 40 actions, a 10‑year implementation plan and annual priorities; staff estimated a need for roughly 90,000 new homes over 10 years with a priority gap of approximately 20,000 homes affordable at or below 60% AMI.
Director Angie Hubbard presented the Unified Housing Strategy (UHS), an umbrella plan to align Metro, nonprofit, private and philanthropic efforts to address Nashville’s housing affordability and security needs over the next decade.
Hubbard said the UHS is a “collective call to ownership” and that Metro cannot solve the crisis alone. The UHS includes a 14‑page executive summary, a full technical report, and a separate 10‑year implementation plan listing lead agencies, partners, resource needs, and timelines. Hubbard emphasized the plan is a living document that will adapt to market and funding changes and noted Metro will publish annual policy priorities tied to appropriations.
Key findings presented by Travis Miller from the UHS analysis include: increased housing demand driven by population and smaller household sizes; constrained housing production since 2008; worsening affordability with housing costs rising faster than median incomes; limited housing choice; challenges to homeownership; rising risk of housing loss; and difficulty navigating available programs and resources.
HHS staff cited specific estimates and data points included in the UHS: consultants estimate roughly 90,000 new homes are needed in Davidson County over the next 10 years (rental and ownership), and HR&A Advisors estimates an additional need for roughly 20,000 homes affordable to households at or below 60% AMI, with a priority toward deeply affordable units for households at or below 30% AMI. Staff described a 40% increase in home values countywide since 2019 compared with roughly 19% income growth, a gap they said contributes to affordability barriers.
Hubbard described seven strategies and examples of actions: (A) enhance and align the housing ecosystem and executive coordination; (B) optimize and grow financial resources (e.g., Barnes Fund, partnerships with philanthropy) and consider thresholds for TIF/PILOT eligibility; (C) create a range of housing choices, including voluntary incentives and use of publicly owned land; (D) support sustainable homeownership and homeowner retention; (E) expand permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness; (F) preserve and protect long‑term affordability through tools like community land trusts and long‑term ground leases; and (G) strengthen renter protections and resources (including support for eviction right‑to‑counsel and fair housing outreach).
Hubbard noted statutory limits Metro faces: the city cannot require affordability through zoning under state law, cannot establish rent control for privately managed apartments, and cannot intervene in private property sales; therefore, the UHS relies on incentives and voluntary tools. Staff also highlighted related efforts, including the housing and infrastructure study (land‑use/regulatory focus) and MDHA’s federal program action plan (CDBG, HOME, ESG, HOPWA) and encouraged coordinated public engagement.
Implementation: the UHS includes a 10‑year implementation plan and staff said they will post presentations and “deep dive” videos on the UHS website and accept public feedback via an online form and scheduled office hours. Hubbard and staff provided contact information and noted opportunities for public presentations and comment, including upcoming workshops for the housing infrastructure study.
Questions from councilmembers addressed program delivery and homeownership: Councilmember Coopman asked about affordable homeownership strategies (deed restrictions, THDA programs, Barnes Fund, and alternative models such as housing cooperatives). Hubbard and staff said they are exploring nontraditional ownership models (cooperatives, community land trusts), mandatory pre‑ and post‑purchase counseling for deed‑restricted sales, and coordination with programs like THDA where applicable. Staff noted the Barnes Fund has funded a housing cooperative serving households at 50% AMI.
The committee did not take action to adopt the UHS at this meeting; staff released the draft and outlined engagement opportunities.
