Housing
Constance Knows Housing is a Human Right!
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Across Tennessee, is a shortage of affordable & available homes for lower income renters.
Renters household who spend more then 30% of their income on Housing & utilities are cost burden.
Renters spending more then 50% of their income are severely cost burden.
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Hardships of Housing are created by Tennessee Elected by being 1 of the only 2 states that does NOT
provide incentives to developers to build in middle class neighborhoods that provide vital amenities
such as grocery stores. Tennessee Housing Development Agency dictates in which neighborhoods
affordable housing is built. THDA steers affordable Housing into segregated, poor neighborhoods where
many Black Children have limited chance to reach middle class. The ending result is production of Black
Families in Generational poverty.
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Home ownership should be the priority focus of the Housing crisis. For the past 3yrs gentrification has
been rampant in under developer communities around America.
With the federal grants for development under the Community Empowerment Zone Block Grants or
Opportunity Development Zones has increased White Families Home/Land Ownership while widening
Wealth Gap Disparities.
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Opportunity Development Grants can also be awarded to Black Developers to also grow Black Families
Homeownership, stop price push out, reduce homeless rates and curve Black Generational Poverty.
In the past Block Grants have garnered the reputation as free money because the optics is that it is
unfulfilled its mission of reducing poverty in urban & rural areas. Those there is some truth, the intent of
Block Grants remain honest attack major increases in poverty rates, deprecating built environment, &
unskilled labor.
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The Green New Deal calls for investment in economic development, green building, public
transportation, & education. Constance will immediately allot funds to community development to
eliminate the financial vacuum due to de-industrialization of rural & urban planning.
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Constance will attack Tennessee Housing crisis with blunt action.
1.) Implement Neighborhood Assistance Corporations of America (NACA)
A non-profit community advocacy Homeownership organization. NACA has made
Homeownership a reality for thousands of working people in urban & rural areas nationwide.
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2.) Percentage Income Payment Plan
The plan breaks yearly cost into 12 even payments based on residents income.
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3.) Community Land Trust
A non-profit corporation that holds land on behalf of the place based community while serving
as the long term steward for affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings,
commercial spaces & other community assets.
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Constance Stands With:
-Increase funding for subsidized affordable housing.
-Fines & Penalties for Lenders with reports of discrimination, prejudice, or exclusion.
-Strong Tenant Rights Policy
-Severe Penalties to Slumlords
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Sources:
https://nlihc.org/gap/state/tn
https://nlihc.org/housing-needs-by-state/tennessee
https://mlk50.com/2022/04/04/how-a-tennessee-housing-policy-concentrates-poverty-denies-
opportunity/
https://www.brookings.edu/essay/homeownership-racial-segregation-and-policies-for-racial-
wealth-equity/