5 Affordable Housing Projects in Williamson County

the hill

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Emily West, Samantha Hearn, Quint Qualls and Zachary Harmuth contributed to this post

When we surveyed our readers regarding their perception of housing in Williamson County, more than half of the respondents felt that there was not enough affordable housing (56.1 percent), while only 8.3 percent felt that there was “plenty” affordable housing.

Firstly, it must be noted that there is “affordable housing” and there is also “low-income” or “government assisted housing.” Several current housing projects in Williamson County fit either description. In a place where the median price of a house is more than $100,000 higher than the national median, the definition of “affordable” becomes relative.

The median home price in April in Williamson County was $433,000, while nationally that number was $296,000.

The Franklin Housing Authority (FHA)- which has been providing affordable housing to families and individuals with low to moderate income since 1953. Currently, the FHA has a large, ongoing redevelopment project. This is what most people think of as low income housing: government assisted housing. Several of these projects are in this post, as well as affordable housing projects by other developers that are not government assisted.

Here are some projects and the latest news about affordable housing in Williamson County

The Hill

Local non-profit organizations have pushed, and started a petition, for surplus city property by the Sonic on Hillsboro Road to be built into affordable housing. The city has not made a decision on the matter. Meanwhile, another group has proposed plans to turn the existing site into a community center.

The group calls itself The Hill, after the unofficial name of the area between Sonic and Del Rio Pike on Hillsboro Road where its members propose the project be built.

Community Housing Partnership of Williamson County, Habitat for Humanity of Williamson and Maury Counties and Hard Bargain Association have created a website to increase awareness at TheHillFranklin.org.

Plans presented to Franklin aldermen and to the Franklin Municipal Planning Commission in April 2015 included 36 three-bedroom, two-story townhouses and eight one-story, two bedroom units – a total of 44 units, though advocates alluded to the Housing Commission that number could increase.

From the site:

The City of Franklin has the unique opportunity to make a difference and be a part of the solution. Currently, there is a piece of surplus property known as “The Hill,” located at the intersection of Hillsboro Road and Del Rio Pike in Franklin. Community Housing Partnership of Williamson County, Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury, and Hard Bargain Association are asking the City of Franklin to allow them to use this site to develop new and affordable and workforce housing. This type of housing is a necessity. As the population of Franklin continues to grow, housing prices are increasing and people are being pushed out of the place they have called home their whole lives. There is also a younger generation that is returning from college and cannot afford to start their lives in their home town because of the excessive cost of housing. In addition to the younger generation, there is a large community of elderly citizens that can no longer afford to live in the community that has been their home for decades

Here is a rendering of initial plans for the site:

the hill franklin

However in April, FrankTown Open Hearts presented a preliminary proposal to the Board of Mayor and Alderman, asking for the City of Franklin to potentially lease the property in its current state. Ideally, the former warehouse for public works and the water department could house other nonprofits to become a hub in Franklin.

Long term, the group wants to buy the city’s $2.1 million property, and would want to use the space for its automotive and cooking programs for its 125 local kids. But no decision has yet been made by the city.

“Let’s be clear,” Community Housing Partnership executive director Stephen Murray said. “This parcel is a part of Hard Bargain. And there will be an outcry that BOMA isn’t listening to the citizens of Hard Bargain if they don’t recognize that.”

If the city sold the property, staff said they could foresee the property becoming either a spot for a small-scale church or school. As far as commercial use, it could also evolve into a restaurant or retail space.

Those funds could be allocated in the fiscal year 2017 budget. Officials have wavered on the issue of it becoming affordable housing.

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