Creating Homes Initiative 3.0
Creating Homes Initiative 3.0 funds organizations developing permanent housing for Tennesseans with mental illness or substance use disorder and incarceration histories, connecting housing with recovery and reentry.
Funder: Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Due Dates: October 8, 2026 (Intent to Apply) | November 5, 2026 (Completed proposals)
Funding Amounts: Minimum request $100,000; estimated $5 million for up to 10 awards; March 1, 2027–February 28, 2029
Summary: Supports new permanent housing for Tennesseans with mental illness and/or substance use disorder and justice-involvement histories.
Key Information: Applicants must own the project property or have a mutually signed purchase contingency agreement when applying.
Description
Creating Homes Initiative 3.0 is administered by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS), Division of Mental Health Services. It funds development, new construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, and conversion of infrastructure to create new safe, quality, affordable permanent housing for Tennesseans experiencing mental illness and/or substance use disorder who are re-entering communities from prisons and jails or have previously been incarcerated.
The program combines housing development with access to recovery and reentry supports. Permanent housing has no predetermined length of stay, and residents may remain as long as they choose or need. Regional Housing Facilitators and Regional Substance Use Housing Facilitators help applicants develop proposals and partnerships. Eligible housing models include peer-run, monitored, and supervised residences, including single-family homes and larger residential buildings.
