Middle Tennessee State University’s latest “Housing Tennessee” report shows continued increases in home prices and construction permits across the state, though closings were down both quarterly and annually.

With strong employment numbers, the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center’s statewide report for the third quarter of 2023 is “leaning toward a more positive outlook” overall, noted report author Murat Arik, director of the BERC at MTSU.

Report highlights include:

• Home prices for all Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Areas were again up, “with most areas surpassing the national growth average, though the state’s annual price growth showed signs of slowing compared to the previous year,” Arik noted.

Most MSAs exceeded the national annual growth average of 4.7%, with the Knoxville MSA seeing the highest at 10.5%, while Nashville saw the most modest annual jump at 0.6%. The Chattanooga and Johnson City MSAs reported robust annual growth rates of 8% and 9%, respectively.

• Home sales were down for the Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis regions. Specifically, Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis saw quarterly closing reductions of 2.8%, 7.6%, and 6.9%, respectively. Annually, these decreases were more pronounced, with Nashville experiencing a 13% decline, Knoxville 17%, and Memphis 27.6%.

• The single-family permit sector across Tennessee, the South, and nationally was characterized by both annual and quarterly growth, the report says. Multifamily permits also showed increases from the previous quarter but were mixed annually, though Tennessee saw a significant 92.6% jump year over year.

• Tennessee saw slight increases in quarterly mortgage delinquency and foreclosure rates, while a slight decrease in annual foreclosure rates.

Information: www.mtsu.edu/berc/housing/.

Property owners can seek assessment relief

Metro Nashville/Davidson County property owners affected by the Dec. 9 tornado can apply for possible property appraisal adjustments, according to Vivian Wilhoite, Metro’s Assessor of Property.

“Under existing State law, those in need should be fully informed of property appraisal procedures where appropriate as a result of such losses,” Wilhoite says.

For tornado victims who suffered “substantial damage” to buildings and improvements, including residential, commercial and industrial buildings, State law, Tenn. Code Ann. 67-5-603, provides that the Office of the Assessor of Property will assess the value of such property based upon its condition after the tornado.

Such assessment value will be as of Jan. 1, 2024. This reduced value will remain on the property until after all repairs have been made to the damaged building(s).

Property owners who have substantial damages to residential or commercial buildings should contact the Assessor of Property’s Office to report the damage. Staff will conduct field reviews of reported properties in January to develop a new value as of Jan. 1.

Any change to the Jan. 1 assessment value will not affect the 2023 tax bill which was mailed October/November.

Disaster unemployment assistance available

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development has announced the availability of Disaster Unemployment Assistance for four Tennessee counties impacted by recent tornadoes and declared in the Federal Disaster Declaration FEMA DR-4751.

TDLWD is accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) from individuals whose employment or self-employment was impacted by severe storms and tornadoes occurring Dec. 9, in Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery and Sumner counties. The disaster period starts Dec. 10 and ends June 15, 2024.

Applications from individuals who live in, work in, or travel through these counties must be submitted by Jan. 16, 2024.

Individuals can apply for DUA at Jobs4TN.gov or by calling 1-877-813-0950 Monday-Friday between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CST. Individuals filing online should specify that their applications are related to the damage caused by severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes.

Applicants must mail in or fax all required documentation within 21 days from the date of the DUA application. Documents can be mailed to 220 French Landing Drive, Nashville, TN 37243, or sent by fax to 615-532-3374.

U-Haul stores offer post-tornado storage

U-Haul is offering 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box container usage to victims of the tornadoes and thunderstorms that tore through Clarksville, Madison, Hendersonville and neighboring communities Dec. 9.

With some families displaced and others facing substantial home repairs, access to dry and secure self-storage rooms and portable storage containers during cleanup is always beneficial to communities affected by natural disasters.

Six stores across Middle Tennessee and one in southern Kentucky are available to provide 30 days of free storage services. The U-Haul disaster relief program applies to new storage rentals and is based on availability. People seeking more information or needing to arrange free self-storage should contact their nearest participating facility.

State proposes express toll roads for 3 cities

Tennessee transportation officials are recommending optional toll lanes be added to some highways around Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville.

Tennessee Department of Transportation officials said the sections would include Interstate 24 between downtown Nashville and Murfreesboro, Interstate 65 between downtown Nashville and Spring Hill, Interstate 24 in Chattanooga around Moccasin Bend and Interstate 40 west of downtown Knoxville near where it splits with Interstate 75.

The department is recommending to lawmakers and a new state transportation board that the first project be the Nashville-to-Murfreesboro corridor.

It will be years before anything can be built. Officials will first need to complete further studies, as well as a bidding process to select which private entity would win contracts.

The state can contract with private entities to develop, build, finance, maintain or operate the lanes.

Tennessee expects to close on its first deal for a choice lane project sometime in 2026.

Audit finds state prisons severely understaffed

Tennessee prisons are severely understaffed, with a vacancy rate at one prison of 61%, leading to unsafe conditions for both inmates and guards, a state audit of the prison system found.

The audit by the state comptroller’s office also found a shortage of such prisoner services as therapy, substance abuse treatment, education and re-entry assistance. It also found problems safeguarding against sexual assault that included housing potential predators with potential victims, as well as a shortage of medical and behavioral health staff.

Some problems have surfaced repeatedly, including in audits from 2017 and 2020.

Auditors surveyed correctional officers at prisons operated by both the Tennessee Department of Correction and private contractor CoreCivic about how the staffing affects them.

No Trash November collects 86K pounds

More than 86,000 pounds of litter was removed from communities throughout Tennessee as part of the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s third annual No Trash November, a monthlong initiative to ensure the state’s roadways and waterways are safe from the harmful effects of litter.

Spearheaded by TDOT’s Nobody Trashes Tennessee campaign, the initiative encourages residents to join cleanups through Keep Tennessee Beautiful (KTnB) affiliates, Adopt-A-Highway groups, or by hosting their own community cleanups in November.

All told, 2,201 volunteers participated in 154 cleanups, collecting 4,303 bags of litter, weighing 86,064 pounds. Thirty-seven of Tennessee’s 95 counties were represented.

At any given time, there are 88 million pieces of litter on the state’s roadways. TDOT spends more than $23 million annually on litter pickup and prevention education, which is funded through dedicated revenue from Tennessee’s Soft Drink and Malt Beverage industries.

NewBasis to establish Wilson County facility

Fiberglass and polymer manufacturer NewBasis, LLC officials announced the company will invest $16.3 million to establish its first operations in Tennessee.

Through the project, NewBasis will create 249 new jobs in Wilson County.

Located in the Alligood Industrial Park, NewBasis’ Lebanon facility will be the company’s first location outside of its headquarters in California and will directly support its increased customer demand across the East Coast.

Founded more than 80 years ago, NewBasis, LLC is a leading manufacturer of fiberglass and polymer concrete below-ground enclosures and utility pads. Today, NewBasis serves a variety of utility, municipality and telecom customers.

FreightWise expands Brentwood presence

Logistics data company FreightWise, LLC officials announced the company will expand operations at its headquarters in Brentwood.

FreightWise will create 48 new jobs and invest $2 million in Williamson County. The Centerview Drive location will position FreightWise to expand its customer acquisitions as well as broaden its research and development capabilities.

Founded in Brentwood in 2015, FreightWise, LLC is a logistics data company that serves its customers with end-to-end transportation management. Through the project, FreightWise will employ nearly 200 people worldwide, with approximately 100 employees in Tennessee.

Nashville State, TN Oncology team for certs

Nashville State Community College and Tennessee Oncology have partnered to offer interested Tennessee Oncology employees the opportunity to invest in their own educational and professional development at no personal cost.

To kick off this workforce enrichment partnership, Tennessee Oncology Medical Assistants will sit for a 72-hour certification preparatory course targeted at ensuring participants are prepared to excel on the Certified Clinical medical assistant (CCMA) exam, thus receiving a clinical MA certification.

The Medical Assistant training certification program is the first phase between Nashville State and Tennessee Oncology, a partnership that will address a multipronged workforce strategy in other medical fields.