1. NCDA Winter Conference Washington, D.C. February 15, 2017
AFh: The Local Government Assessment Tool The Metro Nashville Experience (So Far)
NCDA Winter Conference
Washington, D.C.
February 15, 2017

2. A little about nashville…
Located in Middle Tennessee
Population: approx. 680,000
Part of 14 County CBSA
Population: approx. 1.8 million
Other principle cities:
Murfreesboro
Franklin
Hendersonville

3. A little More about nashville…
Capital of Tennessee
Actual name:
“The Metropolitan
Government of
Nashville and
Davidson County”
a/k/a Music City, USA
Consolidated
city-county
government
35 Council Districts
PLUS 5 At-large Members

4. Nashville AFH context
Joint Local Government/PHA  Collaboration Agreement
PHA = Metropolitan Development & Housing Agency (MDHA)
5,500 public housing units
RAD portfolio conversion
14,000 Housing Choice Vouchers
2 LIHTC properties; 1 PBRA property
Consolidated Plan administrator
Continuum of Care Collaborative Applicant & HMIS Lead
Con Plan Cycle = April 1, 2013 – May 30, 2018
AFH due = September 1, 2017

5. AFH organization MDHA Executive Director Lead Organization
Community Development
Director
(50%)
Data & Mapping
1 staff (50%)
Other staff as needed
Community Engagement
(20-30 hours/week)
Intern
In Collaboration with
Metro Mayor
Senior Advisor for Affordable Housing
Office of Neighborhoods
Engagement
& Community

6. Resources To undertake AFH
MDHA
CDBG Admin
PHA resources
Private sponsors for events (i.e., food for meetings)
Metro
Local funds

7. Enough procrastination
Make a Timeline
Work backwards from submittal date
Build in legislative & Board approval processes
Consider comment period (esp. if Joint w/PHA)
Train
HUD webinars
Regional training
Industry training (NCDA, NAHRO, PHADA, etc.)
Read & re-read materials
Guidebook
AFH Local Government Tool  Make an outline
Other AFHs
Play with the Maps
Get to know your jurisdiction
Identify data issues early

8. Key Partnerships FHEO TN Fair Housing Council (FHIP Agency)
Elected Officials & Department Heads
State Housing Finance Agency
Stakeholders & Advocates
Housing
Poverty
Education
Workforce Development
Transportation
Environmental Justice

9. Who Cares? Address myths & misunderstandings Drive budget decisions
NIMBYism
Gentrification
Concentration of poverty
Drive budget decisions
Local housing trust fund & capital improvements budget
HOME & CDBG funds
Influence zoning & land use decisions
Inclusionary housing ordinance
Disposition of surplus property
Location of LIHTC projects

11. LOCAL Knowledge = Community engagement

12. What do you want to know? Where they are? How they got there?
More than where they live.
How they got there?
Identify barriers (i.e., contributing factors)
Where do they want to be?
Explore opportunities
How can they get there?
Discuss how to overcome barriers (i.e., set goals)

13. How do you find out? Meet them where they are
Have meetings in community spaces they know & are comfortable in during convenient times (FOR THEM)
Talk with them & LISTEN to what they say
Facilitate conversations & let them tell their story
No death by PowerPoint, acronym, or HUD-speak
Know your audience
Avoid survey fatigue
Know what other studies have been conducted in the community

14. Community engagement plan
Kickoff Public Meeting
Discuss citizen participation plan
Community Consultations
Divide county into quadrants
One consultation/quadrant
PHA Resident Consultations
Resident Advisory Board
Resident association meetings
Industry/Stakeholder Consultations
Disability Consultation
TN Fair Housing Matters Conference

15. Mock Consultation – access to opportunities
Purpose of Assessment of Fair Housing
Use data & community knowledge to:
Assess whether individuals & families have the information, opportunity, & options to live where they choose without unlawful discrimination related to race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or disability.
Assess whether housing options are realistically available in integrated areas and areas with access to opportunity.

16. Mock Consultation – access to opportunities
Directions for Small Group Discussions
Make sure to sign-in at your table
Address one sheet at a time
Every person provides input
Respectful dialogue encouraged
Dots
Green dots = 1st choice/only choice
Orange dots = 2nd choice
Pink dots = 3rd choice
 Post-It Notes
Comments
Lists

17. Small group discussions
List the top 5 things you like about your neighborhood.
List top 5 concerns about or things you would like improved in your community.
Prioritize opportunities.
Tell us about experiencing discrimination.
Additional comments.

18. Local data = Call on the experts

19. Don’t recreate the wheel
Metro Resources
NashvilleNext Plan & First Annual Report: NashvilleNext-Plan.aspx
MSS Community Needs Assessment: s/docs/plann_coord/2015CNEpresentationslides.pdf
Mayor’s Housing Priorities & Action Plan, : /AffordableHousing/docs/HousingPrioritiesandActionPlan.pdf
Livable Nashville Draft Report: /Sustainability/docs/LN%20DRAFT.pdf
MPO Regional Transportation Plan:
MTA Transit Plan: content/uploads/2016/08/MTA_RecommendedPlan-Draft.pdf
Metro Parks Draft Master Plan: Play.aspx
Nashville WalknBike Plan:

20. Don’t recreate the wheel
Other Resources
THDA publications and data: planning
Equitable Development Report: 57/nashvillenext-equitable-development-study.pdf
Nashville Civic Design Center studies & reports: dies and ports
State of TN School Report for Davidson County: card
MDHA PNA reports for RAD conversion

21. Things to know When HUD plans the next data update
Locations of subsidized housing (not using HUD maps)
RAD conversions
Mixed-finance properties
Limitations of HUD data
Race/ethnicity & national origin provided
Familial status, LEP, or disability info provided for certain questions
No HUD-provided data on other protected classes

22. If you want to chat more
Angie Hubbard Director of Community Development MDHA mdha.org
Angela Harrell Senior Development Specialist MDHA mdha.org