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Report analyzes rise in Tennessee housing costs | Tennessee

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-03-26 11:12:00

(The Center Square) – A new report says demand outstripping supply is behind expensive housing costs in Tennessee.

The Sycamore Institute analyzed the Volunteer State’s housing challenges, from high costs to demand. The demand comes from an increase in domestic migration, said Brian Straessle, executive director of the organization, in an interview with The Center Square.

Tennessee’s population grew by 541,000 between 2010 and 2020 and many of those residents came from other states. The state’s population grew by another 315,000 between 2020 and 2024, according to the report.

Many of those new residents came from areas with higher median incomes and home prices.

“When the amount of money trying to buy something is growing faster than the supply of that thing, it tends to push up the price of the product,” Straessle said. “And that is what happened in communities all across this state.”

The increase in housing prices was not limited to the state’s larger counties, the report said. Davidson County, home to Nashville, experienced a loss of residents to neighboring counties.Those counties saw an increase in housing costs as well. 

“Federal tax data show that those moving into many Middle Tennessee counties had higher average incomes than those moving out,” the report said. “This means some areas experienced regional dispersals of both population and wealth.”

More than a quarter of Tennessee households were considered “cost-burdened,” paying more than 30% of their income on housing costs in 2023. Home prices across the state have risen, with the highest increase in middle Tennessee which experienced a 5.9% increase from 2019 to 2023. Davidson County has the highest percentage of cost-burdened residents at 33%. Johnson County, in the northeast corner of the state, has the lowest at 14%.

Just 33% of Tennessee residents rent a home but a higher percentage of them are cost-burdened, according to the report.

The state’s housing supply has not kept up with the demands of an increased population. Real estate agents have a term called “months supply” that is a comparison of those looking for residences compared to the inventory, according to the report.

“Generally, six months’ supply is the sweet spot for housing markets to appreciate at a consistent rate,” the report said. “After bottoming out in 2011, a slow increase in new housing production eventually contributed to 2013-2014’s solid 6.4 months’ supply. Then, it fell all the way to 1.7 months’ supply in 2021. In other words, the number of people looking to buy a home and the number of homes for sale each month was just above a 1 to 1 ratio throughout 2021, despite increased housing production.”

The data available is “constrained” and may not tell the entire story behind the state’s housing situation, the Sycamore Institute said.

“For example, available data limits detailed local analysis, housing buzzwords don’t always have clear definitions, and some housing choices aren’t well understood,” the organization said.

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News from the South - Tennessee News Feed

Tennessee doesn’t have enough school counselors. Here’s how that impacts students.

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wpln.org – Camellia Burris – 2025-03-28 15:33:00

SUMMARY: Tennessee is facing a severe shortage of school counselors, with the average counselor handling 429 students, nearly double the recommended ratio. This overload hinders counselors’ ability to provide personalized support, leading to negative outcomes like lower graduation rates and increased mental health issues. Factors contributing to the shortage include unclear career pathways, role confusion, and low pay. Efforts to address this, such as the “Map My Pathway” project, aim to better inform students about the counseling profession. Counselors play a vital role in advising students on academic and financial decisions, but current workloads make it difficult to support students effectively.

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Lee noncommittal on legislation involving immigration, schools | Tennessee

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-03-28 12:00:00

(The Center Square) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said there are a lot of unknowns concerning a bill that would allow school districts to ban students who are illegally in the country.

Protestors have gathered outside the state capitol and packed committee rooms during debates of the bill, sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, and in the House by Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland.

“To the specifics of the legislation before the General Assembly right now, it’s not finalized,” Lee said during a visit to Chattanooga this week. “They’re different versions of the bill, there are different amendments, there’s a lot unknown yet about where this is going to land. Until I know more about that, I can’t speak to the particulars of it.”

Lee said the Biden administration created a problem with illegal immigration.

“It leaves lawmakers with the challenges of addressing the mess that was created by that, including issues with overburdened school systems,” Lee said. “I think that is part of what you are seeing there.”

The 1982 Plyer vs. Doe ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court said U.S. public schools must allow children illegally in the country to attend unless “a substantial state interest is involved.”

William Mendoza of Knoxville said during a subcommittee meeting of the House Education Committee that he believes lawmakers are hoping to set a national precedent.

“I think we are wasting taxpayers money,” Mendoza said. “We have seen how this bill that is trying to be passed is just a game because they just want to bring it up all the way to the Supreme Court to be able to challenge it.”

The bill is on Tuesday’s calendar for the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee. It is assigned to the Government Operations Committee in the House.

Both chambers could vote next week on another piece of legislation addressing illegal immigration.

Sen. Majority Leader Jack Johnson and Rep. Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, are sponsoring a bill that negates out-of-state driver’s licenses for people illegally in the country. Those caught could be charged with a Class B misdemeanor.

“The majority of states that issue licenses to illegal immigrants issue a distinctive license,” Johnson said. “The bill requires the Department of Safety to go through and create a list of these licenses. Those licenses will not be valid licenses here in the state of Tennessee.”

The bills have passed House and Senate committees.

Lawmakers agreed to a bill in a January special session that creates a Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division to act as a liaison with the Trump administration on immigration. The legislation also establishes a grant program for law enforcement agencies that participate in a federal immigration program that allows them to perform some immigration duties.

Local officials that support sanctuary cities could be charged with a Class E felony under a separate piece of legislation passed during the special session.

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LeMoyne-Owen College to Hold Presidential Inauguration of Dr. Christopher B. Davis, its 14th President – The Tennessee Tribune

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tntribune.com – admin – 2025-03-27 20:37:00

SUMMARY: LeMoyne-Owen College will inaugurate Dr. Christopher B. Davis as its 14th president on April 17-18, 2025, with a series of events. The inauguration begins with a symposium on April 17, focusing on “HBCUs: Shaping the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem,” featuring a presidential panel. The investiture ceremony will take place on April 18 at the Orpheum Theatre. The festivities will conclude with a gala at the Renasant Convention Center, featuring Grammy-nominated R&B group After 7. Dr. Davis, appointed president in July 2024, has led significant initiatives in infrastructure, leadership, and athletic expansion at the college.

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