Homeless Assistance Hotlines
You can also dial 2-1-1 or visit TN 211 for more services and resources in your area.
Administrators can click here for on HOME-ARP supportive services.
About the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG)
THDA administers the federally funded Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program on behalf of the State of Tennessee to fund the provision of services necessary to help persons who are experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness to quickly regain stability in permanent housing. ESG grants are awarded to eligible non-profits and local governments to fund the following activities:
Street Outreach
Essential Services related to engaging individuals and families who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, connecting them with emergency shelter, housing, or critical services, and providing them with urgent, non-facility-based care. Eligible costs include engagement, case management, emergency health and mental health services, transportation, and services for special populations. See 24 CFR 576.101.
Emergency Shelter
Essential Services, including case management, childcare, education services, employment assistance and job training, outpatient health services, legal services, life skills training, mental health services, substance abuse treatment services, transportation, and services for special populations.
Shelter Operations, including maintenance, rent, repair, security, fuel, equipment, insurance, utilities, food, furnishings, and supplies necessary for the operation of the emergency shelter. Where no appropriate emergency shelter is available, eligible costs may also include a hotel or motel voucher for that family or individual. See 24 CFR 576.102.
Rapid Re-Housing
Housing relocation and stabilization services and/or short-and/or medium-term rental assistance as necessary to help individuals or families living in shelters or in places not meant for human habitation move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing.
Eligible costs include:
- Rental Assistance: rental assistance and rental arrears
- Financial Assistance: rental application fees, security and utility deposits, utility payments, last month’s rent, moving costs
- Services: housing search and placement, housing stability case management, landlord-tenant mediation, tenant legal services, credit repair. See 24 CFR 576.104
Homelessness Prevention
Housing relocation and stabilization services and short-and/or medium-term rental assistance as necessary to prevent the individual or family from moving to an emergency shelter, a place not meant for human habitation, or another place described in paragraph (1) of the homeless definition.
The costs of homelessness prevention are only eligible to the extent that the assistance is necessary to help the program participant regain stability in their current housing or move into other permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing.
Eligible costs include:
- Rental Assistance: rental assistance and rental arrears
- Financial assistance: rental application fees, security and utility deposits, utility payments, last month’s rent, moving costs
- Services: housing search and placement, housing stability case management, landlord-tenant mediation, tenant legal services, credit repair. See 24 CFR 576.103.
Data Collection (HMIS):
ESG funds may be used to pay for the costs of participating in and contributing to the HMIS designated by the Continuum of Care for the area. See 24 CFR 576.107.