Regional Administrator Jennings Touts Sustainable Development: Housing for Teachers, Officers, and Health Care Workers Near Their Jobs

Region IV Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr., Franklin Mayor Dr. Ken Moore and Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson.

Early on a Tuesday morning in the historic, downtown Franklin Theater, Region IV Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. spoke at "Breakfast with the Mayors," hosted by Franklin Mayor Dr. Ken Moore and Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson. Jennings rallied over 200 business community leaders in one of America's highest income counties to step up their efforts at bringing a broad range of housing opportunities to Franklin and Williamson County, TN.

As he spoke, Jennings highlighted the opportunities for creating up to 280,000 jobs nationwide with the enactment of Project Rebuild that President Obama announced in his September 8 address before Congress. Jennings also discussed the federal interagency initiative between HUD, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation to help improve access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide.

Jennings exhorted the business-oriented audience to explore sustainable housing and community strategies and their potential for developing workforce housing in close proximity to the jobs being created in and around Franklin and Williamson County, citing households increasingly found to be spending 51 cents out of every earned dollar simply for transportation and housing.

Franklin Mayor Dr. Ken Moore described a rapidly growing community in which very few homes within reach of households earning less than $53,000/year (affordable housing) and households earning between $53,000 and $99,500/year (workforce housing) are being built. Mayor Moore also introduced a video of two individuals who attempted to relocate for their jobs in Franklin but were unable to find quality, affordable housing.

On the heels of an announcement of snagging a $16 million investment and 263 new jobs by MedSolutions, Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson pointed out that Williamson has the fastest population growth of any county in Tennessee. The County has opened five new schools in the last 12 months, facilities that reflect a sustainable mindset in that they incorporate geothermal heating and cooling systems.

Mayor Anderson then introduced Michael Skipper, Executive Director of the Nashville Metropolitan Planning Organization. Mr. Skipper described the application being submitted later this month for competitive funding from HUD's FY 2011 Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program. Led by the Middle Tennessee Mayors Caucus, Cumberland Region Tomorrow, and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, regional partners are working together to adopt a shared vision for the future of Middle Tennessee and a regional comprehensive plan for growth and sustainable development.

The event was sponsored by Franklin Tomorrow (http://www.franklintomorrow.org/), a non-profit community organization that communicates a shared and evolving vision for the future of Franklin (pop. 62,487). Mindy Tate is its Executive Director.

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