Nashville’s Community Land Trust to Receive Inaugural Property Designed and Built in Partnership with Moody Nolan Architecture and Messer Construction Co.

7/22/19

Mayor Briley Commits Unprecedented Funding for Affordable Housing
3/26/2019

Thomas Mulgrew 615-862-6461

Nashville – Mayor David Briley today announced a sweeping affordable housing initiative designed to significantly accelerate the city’s efforts to address housing needs. The “Under One Roof 2029” initiative aims to invest $750 million over the next 10 years in affordable housing in Nashville, with $500 million of that coming from the city. The initiative is expected to create at least 10,000 new units.

The “Under One Roof 2029” initiative has four key elements:

• $350 million investment of city funds in the Metro Development and Housing Agency to accelerate the Envision process and, in turn, add more than 5,000 new units on MDHA properties. This includes adding approximately 1,000 deeply affordable units (~20% increase). MDHA will also preserve and revitalize its existing 2,800 deeply affordable units, complementing the 5,000 new units.
• $150 million investment of city funds in the Barnes Fund – representing a 50% increase above current funding levels, which is projected to help fund the creation of at least another 5,000 affordable housing units throughout the city.
• $250 million challenge to the private sector to step forward with matching dollars. In an effort to better facilitate private investment in affordable housing, the Mayor’s Office is exploring a number of avenues, including the creation of an affordable housing Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).

The already announced 100 units of permanent supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness with chronic barriers to shelter. These units will be built with an attached homeless service center that will serve the entire unhoused population of Nashville with bathrooms, showers, and direct links to housing and other support services and agencies.

“Nashville is thriving in many ways, and that is a good thing as growth creates better-paying jobs and generates revenue for schools, roads, parks and libraries,” Mayor Briley said. “Yet the true measure of a great city is how it treats all of its citizens – making sure growth is balanced by continuing to invest in people. The Under One Roof 2029 initiative will help ensure we all move forward together.”
“When people talk about affordable housing, they can mean different things depending on their circumstances and needs,” Briley continued. “Shelter is the most extreme and urgent need, but living near work and being able to keep a roof over your head while earning even the most modest full-time wage are also critically important. We need solutions for all of the above, and Under One Roof 2029 is a bold step in this direction.”

The $350 million in MDHA funding will be used to accelerate the Envision process, which is designed to increase access to affordable housing while remediating concentrated poverty in communities. The Envision process is currently underway at Cayce Place, Edgehill Apartments and Napier and Sudekum, but with the city’s investment, MDHA will be able to accelerate that work and more rapidly launch similar efforts at Cumberland View, Andrew Jackson and Cheatham Place. The local investment will allow MDHA to seek additional federal dollars to expand the number of affordable housing units built, creating more than 5,000 new homes at MDHA properties, with at least 1,000 “deeply affordable” units for those facing the most acute need plus another 1,600 affordable and workforce housing units.

“Today’s announcement is an extraordinary step forward for the city. Mayor Briley’s leadership is enabling us to leverage local dollars for the benefit of those most in need in Nashville,” said Charles Robert Bone, Chair of the MDHA Board of Directors. “Getting federal, state and local dollars to work together will enable us to get many more families into the homes they need. It also will put Nashville at the forefront of affordable housing efforts across the country.”

Under One Roof 2029 also commits an additional $150 million to the Barnes Fund over the next 10 years, expected to create at least 5,000 new units. A critical companion to the work of MDHA, the Barnes Fund makes competitive grants to nonprofit housing developers to increase affordable housing options for Nashvillians. Grants include funding for renovation or construction of affordable homeownership and rental opportunities and other supportive efforts to encourage affordability. Mayor Briley recently hired social enterprise expert Hannah Davis to oversee the Barnes Fund.

“The Barnes Fund plays a critical role in empowering nonprofit housing developers to work with the city to create more affordable housing opportunities for people. It’s public-private partnership at its best,” said Kaki Friskics-Warren, Chair of the Metro Housing Trust Fund Commission, which oversees the Barnes Fund. “This significant, ongoing commitment of public dollars to the Barnes Fund will help build capacity within the nonprofit development community and kick it into higher gear than ever.”

The Under One Roof 2029 initiative also includes a previously announced commitment of $25 million to build 100 units of permanent supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness and a connected homeless service center to serve the entire unhoused population.

As a companion to the $500 million commitment of public funds, Mayor Briley also issued a challenge to the private sector to invest an additional $250 million to support Under One Roof 2029. Briley highlighted the fact that addressing the city’s affordable housing needs cannot be shouldered exclusively by the public sector. It is also a significant workforce development and quality of life issue that employers and private philanthropy must help address. The Mayor’s Office is exploring a number of avenues to facilitate greater private-sector partnership and investment in affordable housing. The Mayor has also committed to personally working with private-sector leaders to advance those discussions.

Mayor Briley also announced that Matt Wiltshire will leave his current role as director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Community Development to become MDHA’s Chief Strategy and Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, a new position at the agency. Wiltshire’s responsibilities will include overseeing MDHA’s overall strategy and strengthening coordination of public and private partners. Wiltshire will work closely with the Mayor’s Office and other community partners to help implement the Under One Roof 2029 initiative.

Wiltshire has led the city’s economic and community development efforts through three mayoral administrations. Prior to that, he worked for several years in the investment banking industry in both New York and Nashville. He is a graduate of MNPS schools and received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College.
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What People Are Saying About Under One Roof 2029

“This is a great day for Nashville. There is nothing more fundamental to one’s quality of life than having a roof over your head and a place to call home. By stepping forward with such a significant commitment, it will enable the Barnes Housing Trust Fund and other investments to have even a greater impact on housing affordability in Nashville.”
Marshall Crawford, President & CEO  
The Housing Fund

The Housing Fund CEO Marshall Crawford is Installed to the Tennessee Affordable Housing Coalition Hall of Fame

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Affordable Housing Coalition recently awarded Marshall Crawford into the organization’s Hall of Fame for his decades’ work in affordable housing, most notably his current role as CEO of The Housing Fund. Crawford was installed at the organization’s Annual Meeting of the Coalition on March 7 in Nashville.

The TNAHC Hall of Fame recognizes community members with at least three years’ experience in Tennessee affordable housing. The honor extends to local officials and anyone who has offered their mentorship to demonstrate a commitment in educating others. The recognition is through nominations only, which are open annually.

Before joining The Housing Fund in 2017, Crawford built his career around working with organizations and teams dedicated to affordable housing. He served with NeighborWorks® America for 13 years as a relationship manager for the NeighborWorks Organizations in Tennessee and senior director of the Southern Region. He started his banking career in Nashville participating in the management training program at Third National Bank, which now known as SunTrust Bank. His dedication to equitable housing even extends back to his formative years, during which he researched and wrote a comprehensive thesis on discriminatory practices in mortgage lending.

Last year, Crawford established a partnership between The Housing Fund and the USDA by becoming an approved Intermediary for the Direct Loan Packaging program, which provides affordable housing loans to low-income applicants in rural areas. As an Intermediary, The Housing Fund performs quality assurance, technical assistance and outreach efforts throughout Tennessee and three additional states.

Through this partnership, Program Director of Rural Housing Service, Single Family and Multi-Family Housing, Don Harris recognized Crawford’s commitment to both local and national affordable housing initiatives and nominated him for the TNAHC Hall of Fame.

“Mr. Crawford is a leader that is always seeking new opportunities to advance affordable housing not only in Nashville but throughout the state,” said Harris. “He is active in both local and affordable housing efforts and initiatives both locally and at the national level.”

Since joining The Housing Fund, Crawford’s leadership has helped drive the success of multiple efforts, including the establishment of Nashville’s first community land trust model and Homebuyer Education programs. Both align eligible borrowers with affordable housing and help enhance neighborhoods through entrepreneurship and working spaces. In the past two decades, the organization has lent over $55 million, leveraging a total of $400 million to help low-income communities secure their own homes. Through his leadership at The Housing Fund, Crawford aims to continue seeking new opportunities as well as state solutions for affordable housing.

Executive Leadership Teams Connect

On November 19th, the leadership teams of The Housing Fund and First Community Mortgage enjoy brainstorming session to discuss homeownership opportunities.  The collaboration is an on-going series of leadership discussions coordinated by The Housing Fund and strategic partners to address the affordability challenges associated with housing.

Marshall Crawford, President & CEO, speaks to the incoming class of MBA students at Vanderbilt University.

CEO joins News Channel 5 Open Line to discuss affordable housing in Nashville.

In the News…

President & CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta visits Nashville

Friday, January 19, 2018 – The Nashville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta invites you to join a select group of business, civic, and community leaders to A Breakfast with Raphael Bostic, 15th President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve

The Nashville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta welcome Raphael Bostic as he takes his position among the nation’s monetary policymakers. Nashville Branch regional executive Lee Jones and deputy regional executive Laurel Graefe will host and moderate a discussion about President Bostic’s interests and views on the economy. A Harvard- and Stanford-educated economist, President Bostic was the Judith and John Bedrosian Chair in Governance and the Public Enterprise at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California (USC). He was assistant secretary for policy development and research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2009 to 2012. During the 1990s, he served as a research economist with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and in 2001 he became a professor at USC.

Barnes Fund Partners with The Housing Fund to Create Nashville’s First Community Land Trust

December 19, 2017

The Barnes Housing Trust Fund, a grant program within the Mayor’s Office of Housing focused on creating affordable housing options, has announced that The Housing Fund, a local nonprofit, has been selected as their partner organization to create Nashville’s first Community Land Trust (CLT).

“If Nashville is going to close the housing needs gap, we are going to have to be bold and innovative in our solutions to build, preserve, and maintain our supply of affordable housing,” said Mayor Barry. “A Community Land Trust is just that type of innovative initiative that will preserve and protect land for affordable housing, while helping to build and maintain safe and affordable housing units.”

CLTs are organizations whose primary purpose is the creation and stewardship of permanently affordable housing. CLTs maintain ownership of the land under a single-family or multifamily development and sell the housing units on its land to qualified homeowners. The CLT typically caps resale prices for housing on its land in order to preserve affordability for future generations of residents. This tool can help us to combat displacement and preserve affordability in neighborhoods in transition.

In fact, cities such as New York, Denver, and Portland have all adopted CLTs or similar models to help address affordable housing shortfalls and long-term preservation concerns. According to Fannie Mae’s Duty to Serve Underserved Markets Plan issued in May 2017, there are approximately 225 active CLTs in the United States supporting 20,000 rental and 15,000 homeowner units, respectively.

“The CLT model forces us to have new conversations not only about the creation of new affordable housing units, but also about the preservation of existing housing units and entire communities,” said Marshall Crawford, President & CEO of The Housing Fund. “This is a positive step towards bringing attainable and healthy housing to Nashvillians of all income levels.”

Housing will be made affordable initially through public subsidies, private donations, or other public measures like the donation of public land. The ground lease used by the CLT will be an effective and durable mechanism for ensuring access to affordable housing for future populations. The Housing Fund, a private nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that has served Nashville communities for over 20 years, will look to Metro government for grants for development costs and land acquisition. The CLT model works best when land is owned debt-free by the CLT, allowing the CLT to remove the entire cost of the underlying land from the selling price of housing and other improvements. This model has the flexibility to combine uses of land, levels of income, and types of housing within the same project – or in different projects developed on contiguous parcels of land or scattered throughout Davidson County.

“Nashville’s rapid growth has created one of our greatest hurdles to affordable housing: skyrocketing land prices,” said Councilmember Colby Sledge, who serves on the Barnes Trust Fund Commission. “With a Community Land Trust, we can begin to remove this hurdle and work with our nonprofit and private-sector partners to create lasting affordable housing throughout the city.”

There are still a number of steps that need to take place before a viable, effective, long-term CLT can be established in Nashville. Starting next year, The Housing Fund will work with stakeholders to craft a community vision for Nashville’s CLT, identify staff needs, and establish an advisory committee. Full implementation of the trust is anticipated to begin in FY2019-20.

December 5th – Celebration of Partners and Investors

A Conversation with Marshall Crawford, CEO of The Housing Fund

As we move into a new year, it’s always helpful to reflect on changes we’ve made and characteristics we’d like to improve within ourselves. But, for this moment, I would like for you to reflect on what’s currently happening in our community. Whether you’ve lived in Nashville your entire life or recently arrived here to pursue a dream, we can all agree on the hospitality and livelihood that make our city a unique place filled with love and compassion.  I challenge you to think about what changes in the community are necessary, and what improvements we wish to see happen as contributing members of Nashville.

Marshall Crawford, CEO, serves as Master of Ceremonies for Nashville Area Junior Chamber of Commerce

August 14, 2017 – The goal of Pitch Nashville is to connect ambitious innovators with the people that can make their idea a reality. By leveraging our relationships with influential members of the community, and mobilizing an excited group of young professionals, the Nashville Junior Chamber aims to provide momentum and a tangible solution towards the affordable housing crisis in Nashville.

Eight talented presenters or teams of presenters will make an eight minute presentation on how they plan to solve Affordable Housing in Nashville in front of a live audience of key influencers and an expert panel of judges. These judges will then decide on a winner who will receive access to a number of community leaders already working on the problem who have

https://www.facebook.com/events/257431851329628/ Judges include Adriane Bond Harris (formerly from The Housing Fund, now with The Mayors Office), David Plazas (The Tennessean), Bill Freeman (CEO, Freeman Webb), and Eddie Latimer (CEO, Affordable Housing Resources).  Current sponsors include First Community Bank, Wagon Wheel Title, Civil Site Design Group, and Accurate Mortgage.  They’re expecting 150-200 attendees.

November 8, 2017 – President & CEO to serve on Transit and Affordability Taskforce.

November 7, 2017 – Marshall Crawford, CEO, asked to serve as Mayor Megan Barry Launches Transit and Affordability Taskforce

Co-chaired by former Mayor Bill Purcell and Davidson County Clerk Brenda Wynn, Taskforce will identify policies and strategies to support small business and affordable housing growth along transit corridors

Mayor Megan Barry will convene a Transit and Affordability Taskforce, co-chaired by Davidson County Clerk Brenda Wynn and former Mayor Bill Purcell, that will offer policy, project, and programmatic recommendations to help Nashville’s decision-makers ensure that planned high-capacity transit corridors are safe, affordable and inclusive for everyone. The taskforce also will develop strategies to improve the economic prospects and equity of these areas and provide new opportunities for housing and commerce — all while avoiding displacement of the vital communities of residents and businesses that call these corridors home today.

“Housing and transportation are inseparable issues, as together they represent the highest cost-burdens for most working families,” said Mayor Barry. “If Nashville voters adopt Metro’s Transportation Solution in May of next year, we’ll face a tremendous opportunity to create affordable housing and commercial space along our major pikes and corridors so that Nashville’s future is more equitable. I’m grateful to all the taskforce members for their willingness to help identify and shape policies to ensure our community’s growth and prosperity is inclusive of all.”

Guided by best practices and lessons-learned from other cities, Taskforce members will recommend policies to ensure a long-term affordability strategy that preserves and creates opportunities for all Nashvillians to live and work in close proximity to transit. The Taskforce’s work product will be consulted as a guideline by which to implement near/mid/long-term policies, projects, and programs to prevent displacement of vulnerable residents and businesses as high-capacity transit infrastructure is constructed in Davidson County.  Early engagement of local stakeholders and leaders will enable the Metropolitan Government and its partners to harness community interest in this issue, and initiate thoughtful collaboration across neighborhoods and interested groups.

“Nashville desperately needs better public transportation options if we are going to continue to grow and succeed,” said former Mayor Purcell, who led the city from 1999 to 2007. “But we also need better housing options for working families, seniors, and younger workers, and I’m looking forward to working with our community members to help identify and shape the policies that will make that happen.”

The Taskforce will hold their introductory meeting on Wednesday, November 8 from 2-4PM at the Lentz Public Health Center. Additional meetings will be held through the end of the year with a goal of presenting a list of recommendations to the Mayor and Metro Council by early next year.

“I understand and share many of the concerns about transit investments leading to displacement, which is why I’m honored to help lead our city towards the policies that will ensure it doesn’t happen in Nashville,” said Davidson County Clerk Wynn. “I appreciate Mayor Barry’s commitment to equity and opportunity in our city, and I believe we can and will ensure that better public transportation leads to better access and affordability for all Nashvillians.”

The Transit and Affordability Taskforce is comprised of local affordable-housing advocates, owners of small businesses located along proposed high-capacity transit corridors, real-estate developers, and planning experts. Members include:
Ashley Northington, Agency Director & Chief Brand Officer of Denor Brands & Public Relations
Bill Phillips, Partner with Windrow Phillips Group
Councilmember Bob Mendes, Chair of the Ad Hoc Affordable Housing Committee
Brent Elrod, Director of Planning and Development with Urban Housing Solutions
Hal Cato, CEO of Thistle Farms
Hank Helton, Senior Vice President of Pathway Lending
State Representative Harold M. Love Jr.
Heather Powell, CEO of the Tennessee Kidney Foundation
Dr. James Fraser, Vanderbilt Professor and Independent Housing Consultant
Lilian Yepez, Co-owner of La Hacienda
Mark Deutschmann with Village Real Estate Services and the Urban Land Institute
Marshall Crawford, President and CEO of The Housing Fund
Michael King, Owner of Monell’s Dining and Catering
Nawzad Hawrami, Director of the Salahadeen Center
Patrick Green, President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1235 and member of the PATHE Coalition
Paulette Coleman, Chair of the Affordable Housing Task Force of Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH)
Pearl Sims, member of the Edgehill Coalition and the Metro Planning Commission
Pete Wooten, Financial Advisor with Pinnacle Financial Partners
Phil Ryan, Vice President of Cherry & Associates

The Housing Fund Appoints Marshall Crawford New President/CEO

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 9, 2017) – The Housing Fund has named Marshall E. Crawford, Jr. as its new president and chief executive officer.

Crawford, 51, most recently served as president of the housing and multifamily development division of Community Ventures Corporation in Lexington, KY.

The Housing Fund is a nonprofit organization that provides resources and creative leadership to help individuals and communities create and maintain affordable and healthy places in which low- and moderate-income people can live.

“Marshall brings a vast amount of experience and a ton of enthusiasm to The Housing Fund, and we are looking forward to continuing with our mission of providing affordable housing and supporting affordable communities in Nashville and the state,” said Doug Lesky, chairman of the THF board of directors.

Crawford will assume his duties later this month, replacing Joan Davis, who has served as interim director for the past year.

“Having spent some time in Nashville over the course of my career, I am very excited to return to this city and be part of all the wonderful things that are happening,” Crawford said.

Crawford’s experience includes stints with NeighborWorks America as senior director for the Southern Region from 2003 to 2016, the Office of Thrift Supervision for the Department of the Treasury from 1999 to 2003, loan officer with Prudential Savings Bank in 1999 and small business loan officer with the Small Business Administration. He worked in Nashville in 1995 at then Third National Bank.

Crawford served in the U.S. Army from 1987 to 1992 as a logistics specialist, with station postings in Fort Knox, Ky., and Nuremberg, Germany.  Crawford, a 1995 graduate of Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance,  received a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2006. He  also earned an executive leadership certification from Georgetown University in 2016.