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Tullahoma board to reapply for THDA HOME funds to repair low‑income housing
Summary
The board approved Resolution No. 2016 authorizing staff to apply to the Tennessee Housing Development Agency for HOME program funds administered locally through South Central. City staff said the program covers capital repairs and carries a five‑year lien that abates 20% per year.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved Resolution No. 2016 authorizing the city to apply for HOME program funds from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA), with local administration routed through South Central. The motion passed unanimously, recorded as a 7–0 vote.
City staff described the program as a reapplication of a program the city closed out in December and said the application carries no direct fiscal cost to the city beyond staff time to administer the application and invoice review.
Why it matters: The HOME grant supports capital repairs to low‑income owner‑occupied housing, which can preserve housing stock and allow residents to remain in their homes. The board asked for and received program details about award sizes, project scope and post‑award monitoring.
What staff said
Staff said the program focuses on capital repairs — for example, roofs, structural fixes and HVAC — and that projects are ranked by code‑violation severity. Staff said they will not start repairs they cannot complete and described the work as intended to give the properties a longer useful life; they estimated longer‑lived capital repairs typically last a decade or more.
Sue, the city program administrator who oversees the grant locally, told the board there is no ongoing round‑the‑clock assistance attached to the award; the program addresses capital repairs and does not provide continuing maintenance funding. The city places a five‑year lien on properties receiving assistance; the lien is abated at 20% per year so that the lien is fully released after five years.
Board questions and context
One alderman noted the prior round had six houses approved and asked whether the figure equated to approximately $120,000 per home; that question was raised during the discussion and recorded in the meeting record but a more specific breakdown of per‑home expenditures was not provided in the transcript. Staff confirmed the program previously operated with a lower cap (about $40,000) before caps were changed as construction costs rose.
Vote
- Resolution No. 2016, authorize THDA HOME grant application: passed, 7–0.
What’s next
Staff will submit the application through South Central and return to the board with any program documents or requirements as needed for local administration and invoice approval.
