Timberwood
Timberwood is Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity's second model affordable housing community, located in northwest Davidson County. Land development began in 2007, home construction in 2008 and the 112-home community will be completed in 2010, in partnership with low-income families. Like Nashville Area Habitat's first all-Habitat neighborhood, Providence Park,Timberwood showcases the positive impact that homeownership and the establishment of a community has on individuals, families, neighborhoods and cities.
The 25-acre site is bounded by Bellshire Drive to the north; I-24 and Brick Church Pike to the west; Briley Parkway to the south; and Dickerson Pike to the east. Nashville Area Habitat's land identification committee searched for about a year, considering 20 properties before deciding the Timberwood property was the best buy based on cost, location and availability.
The need for affordable homes in this area of Davidson County is great. The current mean family income (MFI) for the area is $39,210. Approximately 77 percent of households earn less than the mean family income for Davidson County ($60,900) and 22.6 percent live below the poverty level. Single female households with children make up 27.2 percent of the population of the service area. A total of 1,515 house units currently exists with 52.6 percent owner occupied and 47.4 percent renter occupied. Of the owner occupied units, 46.1 percent have monthly owner costs of 35 percent or more of household income. Approximately 14.8 percent of the population in the area is on public assistance compared to 3.6 percent of the Davidson County population.
Before construction even begins, Nashville Area Habitat must raise $40,000 per lot for land costs in addition to the funds required to build each home. According to Expansion Magazine, Nashville has been voted the best city for business relocation for the past two years. Residential developers have driven up the price of land, and the average cost for a home in Davidson County is currently $175,000. Residential developers have taken advantage of buying large tracts of farmland and changing the use from agricultural to residential. The cost of land development in Nashville is higher than in other parts of the country due to the extensive rock underlay that must be taken out in order to build.
Just as Providence Park was built with 93 percent private sector funding, Timberwood will also be funded primarily by the private sector.
The homes in Timberwood are single-family, three- to five-bedroom frame homes with approximately 1,100-1,500 square feet and have one and a half to two and a half baths. A variety of attractive exterior facades are available. The average appraised value of a three-bedroom Nashville Area Habitat home is $112,000, very comparable to those appraised recently in the areas adjacent to Timberwood ($98,000-$115,000).
When this neighborhood is complete in 2010, Nashville Area Habitat will have built homes for more than 375 family members in Timberwood and the taxable value will have grown from $1.8 million to $13 million.
The residents of Timberwood represent a diversity of races, religions and ethnic backgrounds. Outreach to prospective homeowners targets a mix of income levels in Nashville Area Habitat's effort to create a sustainable neighborhood.
The Timberwood neighborhood has a homeowners' association and the related protective covenants. The association will oversee and control the lot maintenance and the exterior appearance of the homes and ensure the growing value of the neighborhood through its protective covenants.
Plans for Timberwood include four acres of open space, including parks. A park serves the community by providing a place for neighbors to gather and enjoy nature and the community. The park will include walking trails and play areas that are handicap accessible. Normally these amenities would only be available in prestigious, upscale developments.
Timberwood will have 26.7 percent open space, more than the 15 percent required. The density is projected at 4.41 units per acre. Architectural styles merge nicely with the surrounding neighborhood home design.
The average size of the family moving into a Nashville Area Habitat home is three to four people. The typical children are grade school age. If all of the families in Timberwood consisted of two children, this would mean the introduction of approximately 250 new children into area schools over a two-and-a-half-year period. This will not have a significant impact on the surrounding schools. Habitat families usually come from rental units located near the neighborhood and therefore many of these children are already attending local schools. The gradual introduction of 112 families over two and a half years should result in positive and complementary growth for the area, including a projected 17 percent increase in property values, and increased utilization of the neighborhood parks and schools.
The area is currently zoned for Bellshire Elementary Design Center, Goodlettsville Middle School and Hunters Lane High School, all of which have strong programs. Bellshire Elementary has a low pupil-teacher ratio designed to promote inquiryand project-based instruction with a focus on the arts and humanities. Goodlettsville Middle offers three optional courses for high school credit and a Pre-International Baccalaureate program that serves as an apprenticeship for the high school IB program. Hunters Lane High offers the prestigious International Baccalaureate Program, a unique Marketing and Business Academy and an outstanding ROTC program. In the evening, Hunters Lane High becomes a community education campus with classes for personal development and college credit.
After months of participation in Habitat HomeWORKS classes, Nashville Area Habitat families are well prepared for the responsibilities of homeownership, home maintenance and community participation. They benefit richly from the support and shared experiences of fellow Habitat homeowners, and they bring a strong sense of community spirit to their neighborhoods.
