|
A Photoessay from Nashville, Tennessee
Across the state of Tennessee, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have used the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) to secure over $727 million in construction investment and preserve affordable housing for nearly 40,000 Tennesseans. In the city of Nashville, the Metropolitan Development & Housing Agency (MDHA) has completed 23 RAD transactions covering 5,637 homes.
Our latest photo essay highlights how MDHA has utilized RAD to transform Cayce Place from an aging public housing complex to a thriving mixed-income, mixed-use community. The transformed community includes a new school, health center, grocery store, library, and retail, demonstrating what becomes possible when a long-term Section 8 contract made available through RAD unlocks the full potential of a site. The result is not just renovated apartments, but an entirely new neighborhood built around residents’ needs.
Read our latest RAD photo essay here, which highlights the Cayce Place transformation in Nashville.
New Technical Assistance Available
HUD is pleased to offer post-RAD conversion technical assistance (TA) to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and owners of properties converting to Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) to support the transition to PBRA systems and requirements. The technical assistance will help PHAs and owners unfamiliar with PBRA to understand their new roles, responsibilities, and requirements. The TA engagement will provide tools and resources to PHAs and owners.
HUD will be offering this technical assistance to any PHA or owner that is in the process of closing on their conversion. Please be aware that outreach on the TA engagement will come directly from the TA provider, ICF, and not from an official HUD email address. If you have questions about outreach, please reach out to RAD@HUD.gov.
New Resources Available
RAD Rents Look-Up Tool. HUD has updated the RAD Rents Look-up Tool to incorporate the 2026 Fair Market Rents and 2026 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors. The RAD Rents Look-up Tool allows a user to quickly look up the contract rents that any public housing property could achieve through a RAD conversion, including through RAD/Section 18 Blends. After reviewing the data, we encourage PHAs to reach out to us at rad@hud.gov to discuss how a RAD conversion could impact you.
New Master Lease vs. Delayed HAP Guide. The updated Guide to Choosing between a Master Lease vs. Delayed HAP Structure provides guidance on the two options for entering into a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract available to RAD Public Housing conversions utilizing transfer of assistance (TOA). The options can be used when a PHA uses a RAD conversion to transfer the rental assistance to a project in a different location, typically in an area with lower poverty, or to redevelop a site by building the replacement units on an adjacent lot before demolishing the homes where residents currently reside (aka “build first”).
PHAs and owners can use this guide to better understand the closing and construction mechanics, subsidy, and relocation expectations for both options. The information in this guide applies to both Section 8 PBRA and Section 8 Project-Based Voucher (PBV) RAD conversions as long as some or all original public housing units will be occupied during construction of the replacement property.
New Sample PHA Plan Amendment Language. The RAD Notice requires PHAs to include certain content in their PHA Plan when they are converting a property through RAD. Further, when PHAs use a RAD/Section 18 Blend, the PHA Plan must also address requirements under Section 18. HUD has updated sample language and developed a simpler template to meet required PHA Plan elements for RAD, including for a RAD/Section 18 Blend. See Sample PHA Plan Amendment Language for RAD. PHAs can complete this template and insert it in the PHA’s Five-Year Plan, Annual Plan, or Moving To Work (MTW) Plan, or as an amendment to one of these plans.
Peer Learning Sessions on RAD/Section 18 Blends
Join our April and May peer learning sessions to hear from PHAs who have recently converted using the RAD/Section 18 blends process, including why they chose RAD and how they leveraged the benefits of a RAD/Section 18 blend to address property needs.
- Construction Blends session with Reno Housing Authority (NV) and Atlanta Housing Authority (GA)
- April 29, 2026 at 2 p.m., ET – register here!
- Small PHA Blends session with Bremerton Housing Authority (WA) and Gainesville Housing Authority (GA)
- May 18, 2026 at 2 p.m., ET – register here!
|
