The City Community Development Department of Murfreesboro serves residents with low and moderate incomes in collaboration with local non-profits and other agencies to provide essential services. Community Development Director Robert Holtz shared, “Most of the homeowners when we are finished assisting them are in tears. They didn’t know what they were going to do to afford an emergency repair or down payment, and we help give them an answer.”
Robert Holtz and Assistant Director Jessica Cline discussed the department’s services and partnerships on the latest edition of “The Insider.” The podcast can be accessed at https://cityofmurfreesborotn.podbean.com/ and is also available on YouTube https://youtu.be/0CRfu3s2aqM.
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The Murfreesboro Community Development Department operates under the City’s Development Services, aiming to serve low-and-moderate-income families through various housing needs and public service grants to local non-profit organizations. The department receives funding from the federal Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) in the form of grants.
Non-profit organizations that receive funding from Community Development must match these funds. Federal Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) are allocated to activities including safe housing, homeless prevention, rapid rehousing, shelter, housing rehab, infrastructure, and public service grants. The federal government awards the City funding to distribute following public comment and an Annual Action Plan, which can be viewed at https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/115/Community-Development-Block-Grant.
The Home Partnership Grant from HUD focuses on affordable housing through home rehabilitation and purchasing affordable housing with help from non-profits such as the Murfreesboro Housing Authority (MHA), Habitat for Humanity, and Doors of Hope. Community Development is partially funding Mercury Court, an affordable housing development under construction by MHA.
The Affordable Housing Assistance Program provides Down Payment Assistance to qualifying families, encouraging home ownership to help lower mortgage payments. The department also assists citizens with navigating the process and offers rent payment assistance.
The owner-occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program aids qualifying homeowners with specific types of repairs through contractors, including new roofing, flooring, HVAC units, doors, and windows. These expenses often range from $5,000 to $20,000, which can be challenging for homeowners on fixed incomes.
The Community Development Annual Action Plan, detailing funding appropriations for housing and other needs, is available on the City website at https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29269/2024-Action-Plan-PDF.
The Community Development Tree Removal program helps qualifying homeowners reduce property damage risk by removing threatening trees.
Community Development submits financial reports to HUD via the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). A public meeting will be held on September 11, 2024, at 5 p.m. at the Municipal Airport to disclose the department’s past performance. For the most recent CAPERs and meeting details, visit https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/27406/2022-Consolidated-Annual-Performance-and-Evaluation-Report-PDF.
Competitive Public Services Grants of approximately $25,000 are awarded to non-profits from CDBG funds, with a grant cycle from July 1 through June 30. These grants support programs including homeless prevention, domestic violence prevention, and developmental disabilities’ services.
Robert Holtz, appointed Director of Community Development in February 2023, previously served as Director of Building & Codes. Holtz, a Memphis State University graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering Technology, began his career with the City of Murfreesboro in 1996.
Jessica Cline, the Assistant Director, joined the City in 2021 after working with the Washington Reading Corps. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.
For more information on Community Development services and programs, visit www.murfreesborotn.gov/communitydevelopment or call 615-890-4660. Assistance with housing, food, and other necessities can start by calling 2-1-1.
“The Insider,” hosted by Mike Browning and produced by Michael Nevills, is available on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music/Audible, and the City of Murfreesboro’s website. Murfreesboro CityTV can be found on Comcast Channel 3 and 1094, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, YouTube, Facebook, and the City website at www.murfreesborotn.gov/citytv.
For City News online, visit www.Murfreesborotn.gov.
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