THDA Providing Emergency Housing Assistance Funds for Wildfire Victims

Tennessee Housing Development Agency has made emergency funding available to three locally-based organizations to help persons displaced by the wildfires in Sevier County.

The Tennessee Valley Coalition on Homelessness, Helen Ross McNabb Center and Family Promise of Blount County have programs in place to assist households facing homelessness and are administrators of the federal Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program. THDA will increase the ESG funds made available to these three organizations by $164,000.

“Our neighbors in Sevier County are suffering from a disaster,” said Ralph M. Perrey, executive director of THDA. “With the onset of cold weather the affected households must be able to get into safe, warm housing as soon as possible. We are repurposing funds and exploring other ways we can assist in the recovery.”

Applicants for the “rapid re-housing” funds are asked to call 1-888-556-0791. A return number is necessary. Information will be collected and the call returned.

THDA also supports a website that lists rental housing of all price points, TNHousingSearch.org. Landlords with property to rent are asked to post it now by registering online or by calling 1-877-428-8844. The service is free to landlords posting property and persons searching for property. Operators can offer assistance in English and Spanish.