Most Nashvillians know we have an affordable housing challenge. Many of them have experienced this challenge firsthand. In the later sections of this report, specific data clearly outlines the challenge facing Nashville in the work to create and preserve affordable, accessible housing options. Two high-level data stories are helpful to understand from the beginning. First, there is a deficit of affordable rental options from 0% to 80% area median income (AMI). In 2021 for a family of 4, that range represents income levels from $0 – $67,450. The greatest need is at the lowest levels of income, but the need exists up to 80%.

Second, the cost of paying too much for housing is putting an extreme burden on Davidson County households. COVID-19 and the corresponding economic turbulence have impacted household incomes and that change is still being analyzed – however, pre-pandemic data showed that 44% of rental households, approximately 65,000 households, were cost-burdened, meaning they spent more than 30% of their incomes on housing. The cost burden is a critical measure, especially for low-income households, because every dollar that goes to housing is a dollar that cannot go to other needs, including food, clothing, childcare, education, and saving for emergencies and the future. These two data points clearly display that the need is great and the time for action is now.