Greetings from the Community Development Dept.

Housing Rehabilitation Program

The Housing Rehabilitation Program provides a service to owner-occupant residents of the City whose household income is at or below 80% of the area median as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The owners housing rehab needs must meet the program guide and all homes are brought to area code standards. This program is made possible with funding available to the City from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant and the State of Tennessee HOME Program.

Affordable Housing Assistance Program

This housing program is administered through the Community Development Department and makes the dream of homeownership a reality for low-income, first time homebuyers in the City of Murfreesboro. Participants in the program receive homebuyer education and counseling and are offered an affordable second mortgage to assist with the initial cost of purchasing a home. This program is funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and other funds designated by the City for the housing program.

More information on this program's policies and procedures is available for review. These policies and procedures were revised in November of 2007. The program's latest brochure is available for download here.

Fair Housing

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of race or color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 or handicap (disability). If you believe someone has refused to rent or sell housing to you, or refused to make a loan to you on any of these bases, please call the Community Development Department at (615) 890-4660.

April is Fair Housing Month in the U.S. and The City of Murfreesboro is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in housing without discrimination. The Community Development Department is a co-sponsor of the 2007 Tennessee Fair Housing Matters Conference scheduled for april 27, 2007 in Nashville.

Contact the city's community development office or Tennessee Human Rights Commission at (615) 741-5825 should you have a concern regarding your rights under the fair housing law. (More ...)

Homelessness

    For families and individuals who for any number of reasons may find themselves without shelter, Murfreesboro’s mission to create a better quality of life comes to life through programs that receive technical and financial assistance from the Community Development Department. 

The Community Development Department serves as the city’s liaison to the Mayor’s Homeless Task Force. The task force brings together representatives from the public and private sectors once a month to discuss common goals and share resources. The task force developed a document, The Strategic Framework for Ending Chronic Homelessness in Murfreesboro, which will be the city’s blueprint for meeting the challenge of ending homelessness in the city within 10 years. 

With funding received through the Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESGP) administered by the Tennessee Department of Human Services, the Community Development assists Room in the Inn, the Salvation Army and the Domestic Violence Center with program expenses for operating their homeless shelter programs. Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency also receives funding through ESGP to provide emergency energy assistance for vulnerable households.

The next meeting of Murfreesboro's Homeless Task Force will be April 17 beginning at 2 p.m. in Conference Room 218 in Murfreesboro City Hall, 111 W. Vine St.

Welcome!

John Callow Director

The Community Development Department is dedicated to serving the residents of the City of Murfreesboro. Our efforts are focused on benefiting those of low and moderate income by partnering with local, Federal and State agencies to provide decent housing, a suitable living environment and ensuring economic opportunities. Funding for the activities carried out by this department is from the State of Tennessee and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant.

The Department offers housing programs that assist low and moderate households with the purchase of their first home or owners of homes with maintenance and rehab work. We promote fair housing within the City and offer assistance with any concern regarding rights under the fair housing laws. Our involvement and direct assistance in public works projects, recreational facilities, services for the elderly, youth programs and care for the homeless has resulted in benefits for many low-income residents.

In a continued effort to meet the needs of the people in Murfreesboro we encourage citizen participation in the planning process for community development activities. You are invited to call the City of Murfreesboro, Community Development Department (890-4660), or click the Suggestions link in the left column, and be involved with your community.