City of Memphis launches pilot program to expand middle-income housing options. City leaders said the initiative targets families earning 81% to 120% of the median income and could help create dozens of new homes MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis leaders say the city is facing a shortage of quality housing options, especially for families who earn too much to qualify for traditional housing assistance but still struggle to afford homes in today's market. To help close that gap, the City of Memphis is now accepting applications for its Middle-Income Housing Pilot Program, also known as MI-Pilot. City officials said the program is designed to encourage development of what planners call "missing middle" housing, including duplexes, townhomes, small multi-family buildings and single-family homes. Ashley Cash, director of Memphis Housing and Community Development, said the program was created to help expand attainable housing opportunities across the city. "We tried to create this program to help get more market-rate yet attainable houses within our community," Cash said. Cash said Memphis continues to face a shortage of quality housing units, while rising costs have made it harder for many families to stay in the housing market. "People are just unable to afford a lot of the basic necessities," Cash said. "When they have to spend money on rent and a mortgage, they are kept out of the market, and so products like this help us be able to support them being in the market." The program targets households earning between 81% and 120% of the area median income. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Memphis' median household income was $51,736, meaning qualifying households would earn between $41,906 and $62,083 annually. City officials said families in that income range often do not qualify for traditional subsidies, which typically target households earning 50% to 80% of the area median income, leaving many middle-income residents struggling to find attainable housing. "When we say affordable, we're thinking 80% or more of the median income," Cash said. "This will target families and help households that are at 81% to 120% of [the] median income. Those are families who typically won't qualify for different types of services." The MI-Pilot program will provide financial assistance to developers to help build or rehabilitate housing units. Funding awards will range from $60,000 to $350,000 per project, or up to $20,000 per housing unit, according to program guidelines. City leaders said the funding is meant to support smaller-scale developments that can increase housing options in Memphis neighborhoods. Developers may build a range of housing types, including 2-to-10-unit buildings such as duplexes, townhomes and small apartment-style homes, as well as infill single-family homes on vacant lots. To keep housing within reach, the city has also placed limits on rent and home sale prices. "We've got a cap on rents to make sure they're not outrageous, and then we have a cap on home sale prices to also make sure they stay within the realm of what we're targeting," Cash said. According to the program guidelines, estimated rent ranges for units developed through the program could run from about $1,155 to $1,450 for a one-bedroom unit and up to $2,000 for a four-bedroom unit, depending on the income level served. Developers have already begun building projects using the program. "We have 23 units; it's 11 buildings," Kern said. "So that's a mix of single-family homes, duplexes and fourplex townhomes." Kern said the development is also transforming a piece of land that had been vacant for decades. "This was a vacant site; it had a chain link fence with barbed wire. It's been sitting vacant for 50 years," Kern said. "It represented an enormous gap in the neighborhood, and now we're stitching that neighborhood back together." City leaders said the MI-Pilot program is part of a broader effort to expand housing opportunities, diversify the city's housing stock and support local developers and neighborhood revitalization. Developers interested in applying for funding through the MI-Pilot program have until 4 p.m. on March 27 to submit applications through the city's online portal.

Heidi's market of the month: Memphis. Memphis, Tennessee, is a culturally rich and economically diverse hospitality market known for its deep musical heritage, world-famous cuisine, and pivotal role in global logistics. As the birthplace of blues, soul, and rock 'n' roll, Memphis continues to draw millions of leisure visitors each year, while its strong business foundation, anchored by transportation, warehousing, healthcare, and corporate operations, creates a steady flow of commercial travel. The city's appeal is amplified by its authentic character, riverfront setting, and iconic attractions such as Beale Street, Graceland, Sun Studio, and the National Civil Rights Museum. With growing tourism activity and a resilient industrial base, Memphis remains one of the Southeast's most unique and enduring destinations. As a major metropolitan center, Memphis benefits from its strategic location along the Mississippi River, robust interstate connectivity, and the presence of Memphis International Airport, home to one of the world's busiest cargo operations. This global reach fuels a broad, diversified economy in which logistics, healthcare, education and professional services play significant roles. The region's steady population base, major institutions such as St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the University of Memphis, and a strong employment pipeline support continued economic expansion. The market is experiencing significant development in the manufacturing sector; however, it has also faced some setbacks. * Ford + SK Innovation - Blue Oval City: $5.6 billion investment to build a 3,600-acre EV manufacturing campus at the Memphis Regional Megasite, creating nearly 6,000 jobs. The assembly plant is scheduled to begin customer deliveries of next-generation electric trucks in 2026; however, battery production will not begin until 2027. * In May 2025, Hyosung HICO announced $51 million investment to expand and enhance its 360,000-SF transformer manufacturing facility, adding 120+ new jobs. * AAON announced a $238 million investment and purchase of a 787,000-SF Southeast Memphis facility, projected to create 828 skilled jobs over five years; the company is seeking a 15-year EDGE tax reduction with an expected $29 million in tax revenue. * In July 2025, Silver Hills Bakery made a $48.5 million investment to acquire the former Kellogg manufacturing plant, adding nearly 400 new jobs to the region. * Beale Street, Graceland, National Civil Rights Museum: Anchor attractions drawing millions of visitors annually and helping generate $4.3 billion in tourism spending in 2024. * The Memphis Sports & Events Center, FedExForum, and Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium also host sports events, concerts and tournaments that draw in demand throughout the year. * Renasant Convention Center: Recently completed a $200 million modernization, featuring a 118,000-SF column-free exhibit hall and significantly enhancing Memphis' ability to attract conventions and trade shows. * The City of Memphis purchased the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel in November 2025 with plans to renovate it to support the convention center. * xAI's Colossus supercomputer expansion includes more than 100,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs installed; plans for 1 million GPUs, marking the region's most significant capital investment ever. Approximately 320 permanent jobs in phase one; thousands more expected as the ecosystem grows. Supports high-intensity computational work for SpaceX, Neuralink, and other advanced projects. * Other tech arrivals include Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro, collectively bringing nearly 1,000 new jobs to the region. * In October 2025, Georgia-Pacific announced the closure of the Memphis Cellulose Mill and Tech & Innovation Center. Approximately 152 jobs lost, highlighting sector volatility. Memphis remains one of the nation's premier logistics hubs, anchored by FedEx headquarters and a strong transportation network; however, in October 2025, 611 workers were cut across two distribution centers due to Cummins shifting aftermarket operations to Indianapolis. According to CoStar, the Memphis market has experienced a significant decline in RevPAR; as of October, RevPAR has decreased by 8.7%, primarily due to a drop in occupancy. The increase in supply, coupled with U.S. economic uncertainty, has negatively impacted the market. Additionally, some companies have cut jobs and relocated, causing some uncertainty in the market. Over the past 12 months, approximately 640 rooms have opened, and another approximately 890 rooms are currently under construction, accounting for 3.3% of the market's inventory. With another 32.4% of new supply in various planning stages, new supply is expected to outpace demand in the near term. Supply growth in the Memphis Airport/South submarket is elevated, with 6.8% of existing inventory currently under construction. In the past 12 months (ending in October), 20 hotels traded in Memphis, totaling $142 million in transaction volume, up from the annual three-year sales volume average of $80.9 million. The most significant transaction noted is the previously mentioned sale of the 600-room Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel for $22 million, or roughly $37,000 per key. This City reportedly wanted to save this hotel from further deterioration and renovate it to once again make it a strong convention center hotel for the City. Despite near-term challenges - including slowing RevPAR, elevated new supply, and pockets of job loss - Memphis remains a market defined by long-term opportunity, anchored by its cultural draw, strategic logistics role, and expanding industrial and technology base. Significant investments across manufacturing, tourism infrastructure, and emerging AI-driven industries signal confidence in the city's future and position Memphis for renewed growth once broader economic headwinds stabilize. While the hospitality sector will likely continue to face pressure as supply outpaces demand, the city's diverse economic drivers, continued public and private investment, and strong institutional presence provide a resilient foundation. As Memphis navigates this period of transition, it is well-positioned to capitalize on its unique strengths and reassert itself as a dynamic, competitive destination for travelers, businesses, and investors alike. useful resources.

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 8 - The City of Memphis and the Memphis Police Department are launching a new automated speed camera enforcement program aimed at changing driver behavior, curbing reckless speeding, and making streets safer for all.