KNOXVILLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND REPORT

Annual Report with Key Highlights from July 2023 through June 2024 is available here.

The City’s housing programs are targeted at improvement and construction of affordable housing, homebuyer assistance, and repair and rehabilitation to reduce the number of substandard rental and owner-occupied residential properties. 


AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND

The Affordable Housing Fund, established by City ordinance in 2021, is a 10-year, $50 million dollar commitment to advance affordable housing opportunities. Developed in response to and in partnership with local housing advocates, and with input and guidance of local housing stakeholders and experts, the Fund builds upon the City’s long and successful history of promoting affordable housing through federally funded programs, the Affordable Rental Development Program, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund administered by East Tennessee Foundation, and many capital project investments led by private and public housing providers.
Kincannon Budget Commits $50M to Affordable Housing 04-29-21
Learn more about the Affordable Housing Fund - Annual Report 2022-2023


AFFORDABLE RENTAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The City of Knoxville has established an affordable rental development fund in the initial amount of $2 million for the creation of new affordable and workforce rental housing. This fund is in response to the need for standard rental units that are affordable to low and moderate income renters. Knoxville has lost hundreds of affordable units over the last few years and at the same time, market rents have been steadily climbing. In an effort to increase the supply and long-term availability of rental housing options for persons with modest incomes, this fund has been created to incentivize the development of quality affordable rental housing.
Learn more about the Affordable Rental Development Program.

Properties assisted with funding through the Affordable Rental Development (ARD) Fund are listed by district in this PDF. This document is updated periodically.


DOWN-PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

By providing down-payment assistance for homebuyers, this program strives to increase homeownership rates in Knoxville. Down payment assistance is available only on specific homes that are developed by one of our partners - see Purchase an Affordable Home below.
Learn more about the City's Down-Payment Assistance Program.


FAIR HOUSING

The City of Knoxville’s Fair Housing Program endeavors to assure decent and suitable living conditions for every citizen.
Learn more about the City's Fair Housing Program.


HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The City of Knoxville's Housing & Neighborhood Development Department is providing funding for property improvement projects for owners of historic residential buildings through the Residential Historic Preservation Program (RHPP). The priorities of this program include the preservation and stabilization of historic residential structures, creation/maintenance of affordable housing, community revitalization, and prioritization of exterior repairs in the City of Knoxville's historic neighborhoods.
Learn more about the RHPP, including eligibility and funding requirements.


HOME REPAIRS - EMERGENCY

Please contact CAC at 865-244-3080. 


HOME REPAIR - MINOR

Contact Neighborhood Housing’s Operation Backyard program at 524-2774, ext. 107. 


HOMES FOR SALE

The City makes available some homes for purchase to first-time homebuyers who meet low-income requirements through the HOPE 3 program. Please see the section entitled ‘Homemakers Program Listing - HOPE 3 Properties’ under the Homemaker's Program Available Lots [PDF] for details.
Learn more about the Homemakers Program


PURCHASE AN AFFORDABLE HOME

Through federal grant funds, the City supports new construction and rehabilitation projects for affordable housing. Three local organizations develop the housing and work with low-moderate income homebuyers to purchase the homes.
Learn more about purchasing an affordable home.


KNOXVILLE LEAD-SAFE AND HEALTHY HOMES PROGRAM

The Knoxville Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Program is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH). The purpose of the Knoxville Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Program is to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately owned rental and owner-occupied housing.
Learn more about the City's Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Program.


KNOXVILLE HOUSING DATA DASHBOARD

Knoxville is growing rapidly, and so is our need for more affordable and market rate housing. The Knoxville Housing Data Dashboard provides a concise summary of data to inform policy makers and the public on the challenges we face in affordability, cost and supply of housing in Knoxville as we pursue strategies that will lead to solutions in meeting those challenges.
View Knoxville Housing Data Dashboard


MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING

The City of Knoxville's Housing & Neighborhood Development Department is providing short-term construction loans to renovate or reconstruct unoccupied residential structures or infill vacant lots according to Middle Housing Standards. Middle Housing types are residential structures containing more than one unit, with building footprints and overall scales comparable to single-family houses. The MHRP is designed to assist with and encourage the development of Middle Housing as demographics and housing preferences shift within Knoxville and residents search for diverse housing choices that retain neighborhood character, are pedestrian and bike-friendly, and provide access to local transit and nearby businesses. This program will address housing needs of households who are caught in the gap between rising housing costs and the inability to secure traditional funding from the banking industry.
Learn more about the MHRP, including eligibility and funding requirements.


OWNER-OCCUPIED HOME REHABILITATION

Funds are available for owners to rehabilitate substandard residential properties in Knoxville. These monies are intended to help meet building code requirements.
Learn more about the City's Owner-Occupied Home Rehabilitation Program.


RENTAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM

This program provides financial and technical rehabilitation assistance to owners of substandard residential rental property. In return, property owners agree to certain long term (5 – 20 years) rent and occupancy restrictions in order to keep the housing affordable to lower-income tenants.
Learn more about the City's Rental Rehabilitation Program.


NONPROFIT AND GOVERNMENTAL HOUSING PROGRAMS IN KNOXVILLE

For a comprehensive list of available housing programs in Knoxville, see this document [PDF]


FINANCIAL TRAINING / EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Financial and homebuyer education programs, particularly for homebuyers, are available with classes through Home Source East Tennessee. For further information, please call 865-637-1679.

• Neighborhood Housing, Inc. (NHI) - 865-524-2774, ext. 107
• East Tennessee Housing Development Corporation (ETHDC) - 865-281-3130


COMMUNITY PARTNERS

• East Tennessee Housing Development Corporation (ETHDC), community housing development organization, 865-281-3130 
• Home Source East Tennessee , community housing development organization 
• Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC), minor and emergency home repair provider agency
• Neighborhood Housing, community housing development organization