HB 691 changes how Tennessee financial institutions calculate tax credits for loans to housing entities. It shifts the calculation from a single "unpaid principal balance" to a "month-end average unpaid principal balance" over each loan's life. This affects financial institutions providing qualified loans for eligible housing activities, with credits now set at 3% annually for standard loans or 5% for low-rate loans. The change applies to the institution's fiscal year and ends after 15 years or the loan's maturity, whichever comes first. The bill took effect January 1, 2026.
HB 1326 changes Tennessee law to establish a property owner's development rights (a "vested right") when they submit a development plan or building permit application to local government, rather than waiting for official approval. This right lasts for three years from the submission date, during which the development standards in effect at the time of submission remain fixed. The bill requires plans to substantially comply with local regulations to trigger this right, and it amends multiple sections of Tennessee law to replace "approval" with "submission" throughout. This directly affects property developers, builders, and local governments by altering when development rights become protected under state law.
SB 773 prevents development permits from expiring when lawsuits challenge them. It pauses the "vesting period" (the timeframe protecting approved projects) during ongoing court cases, ensuring developers retain their project rights. This directly affects property developers and construction companies with permits facing legal disputes. The law creates certainty for development timelines by halting the expiration clock while litigation proceeds.
SB 110 expands an existing residential pilot program for people with disabilities to include the eastern part of Tennessee, which previously only covered the western and middle regions. It requires one facility in each grand division (eastern, middle, western) and sets specific eligibility rules for eastern division participants, including a minimum 26-acre property in a county with 108,600-108,700 residents (per 2020 census), offering services for up to 60 additional adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, and dedicating 25% of homes to inclusive housing. Applications for eastern division participation must be submitted by March 31, 2026, with facilities needing completion by June 30, 2028. The bill modifies licensing and reporting requirements for these facilities under Tennessee’s disability and aging department.
HB 496 amends Tennessee's ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) account rules to allow account earnings to be used for non-education expenses, such as housing or transportation, rather than being restricted to education costs. It aligns Tennessee's definitions of "disability certification" and "eligible individual" with federal Internal Revenue Code standards. The bill directly affects Tennesseans with disabilities who use ABLE accounts to manage savings without losing federal benefits. Key changes include removing the education-only spending restriction and updating account ownership rules to match IRS guidance. The law became effective May 2, 2025, with some provisions taking effect January 1, 2026.
HB 1306 clarifies that Tennessee's definitions of housing facilities for economic development include affordable and workforce housing, explicitly expanding eligibility for industrial development corporation projects. It modifies housing definitions in multiple statutes to cover multifamily, single-family, condo, and townhome developments intended for low-to-moderate-income, elderly, or disabled residents. The bill also streamlines approval processes by allowing municipalities to amend economic impact plans without new public hearings, reducing administrative barriers for housing projects. This directly affects local governments, housing developers, and residents of affordable housing developments across Tennessee.
HB 331 amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 13-23-121 to increase the Tennessee Housing Development Agency's (THDA) maximum bond issuance limit from $4 billion to $6 billion. This change directly enables THDA to issue more bonds for financing affordable housing loans, primarily benefiting low- and moderate-income Tennessee residents seeking below-market interest rate mortgages. The bill's key provision adjusts the statutory cap to address growing demand for these housing programs, which THDA has managed within the previous limit since 2008. The increase took effect on May 2, 2025, after receiving legislative and gubernatorial approval.
SB 1079 requires developers (called "declarants") to hold the first 10% of a condo buyer's deposit in a state-licensed escrow account until construction is complete. Developers can access these funds only if they provide a surety bond or letter of credit guaranteeing full repayment to the buyer if construction delays prevent unit delivery. Deposits exceeding 10% may be used for actual construction costs (like materials and labor), but not for salaries, commissions, or advertising. The law applies to new condo contracts signed or amended on or after July 1, 2025.
HB 452 changes Tennessee's eviction process for cases where a tenant hasn't paid rent. It requires that trials must be held within 14 days of the landlord filing the case and limits hearings to only rent-related issues, such as lease terms and payment history. After a court rules in the landlord's favor, the tenant must move out within seven days of receiving the court order, and the landlord can request immediate sheriff removal if the tenant doesn't comply. This bill affects tenants and landlords facing nonpayment evictions and takes effect on July 1, 2025.
