Nashville’s Legacy House Welcomes Family with Ribbon Cutting, Hosted by Moody Nolan and The Housing Fund
NASHVILLE – November 9, 2023 – Architecture and design firm Moody Nolan Nashville, in partnership with The Housing Fund, welcomes a new homeowner just in time for the holidays, marking the completion of Legacy House Nashville. Moody Nolan’s Legacy Project is a philanthropic endeavor to provide under-resourced neighborhoods with fully-furnished, architecturally-modern houses in each of the 12 cities the firm has an office, modeling a new approach to affordable housing.
“Affordable housing isn’t just about providing shelter, it’s about helping local communities thrive and creating the foundation for generational homeownership,” said Brian Tibbs, Director of Moody Nolan Nashville. “Our team is constantly seeking projects that make tangible impacts on the communities we serve, and our hope is that Legacy House Nashville will inspire others to use their skillset to address the housing crisis and ensure a brighter future for all.”
The house, donated by Moody Nolan to local nonprofit, The Housing Fund, sits on land leased through a Community Land Trust program. This initiative opens the door to homeownership for individuals and families earning below 80% of Nashville’s median income by eliminating the burdensome cost of land, allowing these families to have a home they can pass on for generations. Pinnacle Financial Partners and THF also provided Legacy House Nashville’s new owner with an affordable mortgage so her family will not experience housing-cost burden.
“We’re excited to bring this opportunity for homeownership to the Napier neighborhood by partnering with Moody Nolan, the largest African-American owned architecture firm in the country,” said Marshall Crawford, President and CEO of The Housing Fund. “As part of the Community Land Trust, the Legacy House will always be an affordable housing unit for a first-time homebuyer. Our objective is to ensure intergenerational wealth-building through homeownership. We appreciate Metro-Nashville Government and Pinnacle Financial Partners for their unwavering commitment to our communities.”
Located in the J.C. Napier neighborhood near the heart of Downtown Nashville, this contemporary two-story, three-bedroom, two-bath home features an open kitchen that seamlessly flows into a double-height, sun-soaked living space, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. A generously-sized covered outdoor patio welcomes visitors and residents alike, while a thoughtfully-landscaped backyard extends the joys of nature and outdoor activities.
Motivated by Moody Nolan’s desire to increase visibility around the nation’s housing crisis while creating a lasting act of kindness and allowing recipients to build generational wealth, Legacy House Nashville exemplifies the notion that affordable housing can be both practical and aesthetically pleasing. The team meticulously planned every aspect of the home to optimize efficiency, scale, materials, and systems, ensuring the homeowner is not burdened by the cost of maintenance. Beyond providing shelter, this initiative empowers residents by granting them an asset that can build equity – a crucial step towards achieving financial stability, often elusive for those grappling with housing insecurity or intergenerational poverty.
Legacy House Nashville serves as a beacon of hope and transformation, offering not just a residence to those in need, but serving as an inspiring example for communities showcasing the attainability and dignity of affordable housing.
About Moody Nolan: Founded in 1982 with just two employees in Columbus, OH, Moody Nolan has grown to become the country’s largest African American-owned architecture firm with 360 employees across 12 offices. Specializing in corporate, education, sports/recreation, collegiate, healthcare, housing/mixed-use, and public service facilities, Moody Nolan is guided by its mission to improve every life the firm touches through high-performance design – exercising responsible citizenship in designing places & spaces that positively impact its clients, community, and the environment.
The firm has worked on projects throughout Tennessee including the National Museum of African American Music, Nashville International Airport (BNA)’s Terminal Garage and Airport Administration Building, John B. Wallace Health Sciences Complex-South, Tennessee State University, and the Brentwood Family YMCA. Acknowledging the firm’s sustained professional excellence, The American Institute of Architects (AIA) named Moody Nolan as the 58th recipient of the Architecture Firm Award in 2021; the highest honor the AIA bestows on an architecture practice. In 2022, the firm celebrated its 40th anniversary and was also named one of the most innovative architecture firms by Fast Company. For more information about Moody Nolan, visit www.moodynolan.com.
About The Housing Fund: A nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution, The Housing Fund provides resources and creative leadership to help individuals and communities create and maintain affordable and healthy places in which low- and moderate-income people live. Since 1996 The Housing Fund has assisted over 4400 first-time homebuyers to receive more than $37 million in down-payment assistance loans, as well as provided more than $89 million in financing to assist over 3200 individuals and organizations for the purchase, rehabilitation, or construction of homes for low-to-moderate income families. THF has lent over $126 million, which has leveraged more than $752 million in private financing for more than 7600 affordable housing units. To meet community needs around rising unaffordability and minimize displacement of lower-income households, THF programs and services have expanded into property acquisitions, stewardship of Metro-Nashville’s inaugural Community Land Trust, home rehabilitation and weatherization, and tax relief.
