Atwater believes in
TENNESSEE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS OUTREACH – (TACO)
Atwater believes in
TENNESSEE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS OUTREACH – (TACO)
Problem Statements:
(a) Many politicians do not want to address the elephant in the room: poverty! For decades, Tennessee has experienced the haves and have-nots, while the pockets of elitists and billionaires are being padded at the expense of the poor.
(b) Gentrification in historic underserved and marginalized communities has exacerbated this affordability crisis. Tennesseans are being forced out of their beloved cohesive neighborhoods due to greed and the abusive control of politicians. As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will place common sense back into how we treat our sisters and brothers in the State of Tennessee. There should be no elders eating cat food, women sleeping under bridges, or families sleeping in cars and hotels in the State of Tennessee.
(c) Tennessee faces high poverty rates due to a combination of stagnant wages, a high cost of living driven by rapid population growth, and a regressive tax system that burdens low-income and working-class families. While the state attracts businesses, many residents struggle with rising housing costs, low labor force participation, and limited access to services, particularly in rural areas.
(d) Tennessee is experiencing an affordability crisis centered on the rapid escalation of housing costs, which have outpaced income growth for many residents due to high demand and inadequate supply. This, in turn, has caused a significant housing affordability crisis, with roughly 26.5% of households being cost-burdened.
(e) Since 2020, Tennessee has experienced a massive housing affordability crisis, where a rapid population influx, combined with a stalled housing supply and restrictive zoning, has driven housing prices to grow 10 times faster than inflation-adjusted income. With over a quarter of households now cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing, the state faces increased workforce instability, significant rent spikes (with 50% fewer units available under $1,000/month), and an urgent need for multi-family, affordable, and accessible housing construction to prevent further displacement of residents and essential workers.
(f) Tennessee is facing a severe, widespread affordability crisis driven by surging housing costs, high inflation, and rapid population growth. From 2020–2023, the state added over 216,000 jobs but only 153,975 new homes, leading to a 32% increase in median monthly housing costs since 2013. Over 26% of Tennessee households are cost-burdened, while 87% of residents describe the cost of living as expensive. Coupled with rising property taxes, high utility costs, high food costs, high gas costs, increased childcare costs, astronomical insurance costs, and high healthcare premiums.
Facts regarding the Tennessee affordability crisis include:
Housing Shortage: Home prices have jumped 40% since 2019, far outpacing the 19% increase in household income. As of 2024, the median home price in Tennessee was $325,000, up 19% from 2019.
Middle-Class Impact: The crisis has extended into the middle class, with many struggling to keep housing costs under 30% of their income, even with incomes around $100,000.
Essential Worker Displacement: Teachers, police officers, and service workers are being priced out of urban centers like Nashville, forcing them to move outside Davidson County.
Investor Impact: In some areas, such as Rutherford County, corporate investors own 10% of all rental properties, further limiting supply and inflating prices.
Cost of Living: Beyond housing, Tennessee ranks among the top 10 states for overall financial strain, including high utility costs, rising inflation, and increased grocery expenses.
Living Requirements: A 2025 study found that a single adult needs over $96,000 annually to "live comfortably" in the state, while two adults need roughly $125,000.
Atwater Goals and Strategies:
Atwater will aggressively embrace this Tennessee legislation known as the End the Grocery Tax by closing the Corporate Loopholes Act. The " End the Grocery Tax by Closing Corporate Loopholes Act"(SB0002/HB2007) is proposed Tennessee legislation, led by Sen. Charlane Oliver and Rep. Aftyn Behn, designed to eliminate the state’s 4% sales tax on groceries. It aims to offset the estimated $900 million in lost revenue by closing corporate tax loopholes, specifically targeting foreign tax havens, and implementing a minimum corporate tax.
Key Aspects of the Proposed Legislation:
Grocery Tax Relief: Eliminates the 4% sales tax on food and food ingredients for home consumption.
Revenue Offsets: Funds the tax cut by closing loopholes that allow multinational corporations to shelter profits overseas.
Corporate Minimum Tax: Implements a corporate minimum tax to ensure companies with over billion in income pay their share, as reports show many currently pay zero or less in excise taxes.
Worldwide Combined Reporting: Requires large corporations to calculate Tennessee taxes based on total global profits, aimed at stopping tax avoidance.
Context: The bill, often referred to by lawmakers as a push for "fairness," is in response to data indicating nearly 60,000 companies received, or are slated for, significant refunds from 2024 tax law changes, while individuals face high grocery prices.
Current Status:
As of April 2026, the bill (SB0002/HB0002) is being considered by the legislature, with recent action including placement on the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar. The proposal faces debate over the best way to handle the tax cut without cutting state servicesImplement a housing development moratorium across the State of Tennessee with Community Benefit Agreements.
Make accessible properties in city and county land banks across the State of Tennessee for low-income, working-class, and middle-class citizens to have the first choice in purchasing these properties. Regulate out-of-town investors and developers who have no vested interest in preserving historic and rural communities. Implement a Tenant Register to protect citizens from slumlords.
Address tax incentives and PILOTs that add further stress on underserved, marginalized, and rural communities.
Recommendations to address the crisis include expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), increasing land banking authorizations, and using portions of the Real Estate Transfer Tax to support affordable housing.
These factors contributing to poverty must be addressed in Tennessee:
Regressive Tax Structure: As a "low tax state" without a broad personal income tax, Tennessee relies heavily on high sales and excise taxes. This means the poorest 20% of residents pay a significantly higher percentage of their income in taxes (10.9%) compared to the wealthiest.
Stagnant Wages vs. Rising Costs: Despite average wages increasing, they have not kept pace with the surging costs of housing and daily essentials, creating a high cost of living that affects middle-class workers, not just the poor.
High Debt and Economic Disparity: Tennessee households face high levels of debt, with a 44% increase in debt since 2010. Furthermore, there is significant regional inequality, with wealth concentrated in areas like Nashville, while other areas lack economic opportunities.
Rural and Social Factors: Rural areas suffer from fewer jobs and poorer educational opportunities, often leading to a lack of skilled labor. Other factors include high rates of uninsured residents, food insecurity, and low labor force participation, which stands at 59.5%, below the national average.
"Low Tax " Impact on Services: The low tax revenue per capita (49th in the nation) results in lower public investment in services like education and social support, which can trap families in poverty.
Cutting grocery taxes generally helps citizens by lowering costs for families struggling with inflation, particularly benefiting low-income households who spend a larger share of their income on food. In Tennessee, for example, a 2023 three-month grocery tax holiday was implemented to provide direct relief, and proposals to eliminate the 4% tax aim to reduce daily financial burdens.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Immediate Financial Relief: Removing or reducing sales tax on food (often up to 6.75% in TN when combining state and local taxes) immediately reduces the cost of groceries.
Targeted Assistance: Because low-income families spend a higher percentage of their income on food, eliminating this tax is considered a progressive policy that helps those with the least.
Economic Impact: While tax cuts can improve economic competitiveness and increase consumer spending power, they also require states to address lost revenue.
Political Debate: Proponents argue it helps working families, while opponents sometimes argue over how to fund the cuts without cutting services, or whether to cut corporate taxes instead.
Disability-forward-housing for seniors and veterans:
To address Tennessee’s Housing Crisis, Atwater will focus on making affordable homes work for everyone. Atwater will partner with The Kelsey, a nationally respected leader in what is called “disability-forward housing.” The Kelsey builds affordable housing, advocates for inclusion, and consults with organizations and states across the country.
Instead of adding accessibility at the end, disability-forward housing starts with access and inclusion. Disability-forward housing starts with asking, “How do we make this work for everyone from day one?”
Affordable - rent that people with low incomes can actually pay.
Accessible - designed so people with different disabilities can navigate their homes and neighborhood safely and easily.
Inclusive - mixed communities where people with and without disabilities live side by side.
Disability-forward housing benefits everyone. It serves people with IDD, physical and sensory disabilities, mental health conditions, and people aging into disability. It combines accessible design, service coordination, supports, affordability, and inclusive practices so people can live where they choose with the supports they need.
In Tennessee, finding a safe, affordable home is hard for many people. It is especially hard for people with disabilities and older adults who often live on fixed incomes like Social Security Supplemental Income (SSI). One in four adults with disabilities in Tennessee lives in poverty.
A typical one-bedroom apartment in Tennessee costs an average of $1,362 per month. The most someone can receive from SSI is $994 for an eligible individual and $1.491 for an eligible couple per month. This means many people cannot afford stable housing without help.
The Resurrection of Hope Plan addresses the shortage of housing affordability across the State of Tennessee, especially in rural communities. I have committed to being the next Governor of the State of Tennessee to build 150,000 affordable homes using Housing Urban Development (HUD), Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), SCIF, Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA), landbank redistribution, homestead, and other partnerships.
All communities across the State of Tennessee deserve to have Community Benefit Agreements to combat this economic wave against their life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
RITES OF PASSAGE ECONOMIC PLAN FOR TENNESSEE CITIZENS
Every citizen in the State of Tennessee should have equal access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in this state, which includes adequate disbursements and allocations of city, state, and federal funds. It is time for a resurrection…
1. Every Tennessean should be afforded the full benefits of the Tennessee Constitution and the City and County’s Charters.
2. Every Tennessean should have inclusion in all State of Tennessee economic distributions, thus promoting real Participatory Budgeting.
3. Every Tennessean should have representation as a taxpayer in this state with adequate benefits, such as public transportation, public works, and safety, no matter what their zip code.
4. Every Tennessean should be allowed to participate at the state’s economic table of prosperity when it comes to EDGE (Economic Development Growth Engine), CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), CARES Act, Downtown Business Commission, HUD, or any other federal funds to promote a good, equitable quality of life.
5. Every Tennessean should have access to decent and affordable housing without the burden of a capitalistic system of discriminatory actions.
6. Every Tennessean should not be criminalized because they are homeless in this state, city, or county.
7. Every Tennessean has the right to an equitable and fair justice system.
8. Every Tennessean should be treated fairly when it comes to drug addiction or mental illness, no matter what their racial makeup, nationality, ethnicity, or economic status.
9. Every Tennessean should not be exposed to toxic chemicals or pollutants by large corporations under the silence of this state, such as ETO, Nitrogen Oxide, or Benzene, lead in their water, or any other hazardous exposure due to their underserved neighborhoods being unjustifiably targeted or being considered the least resilient.
10. Every Tennessean should have the right to a clean environment and a healthy community without exacerbating social and racial disparities in rural, underserved, and marginalized communities.
11. Every Tennessean should have the right to make their voices heard in the workplace through a union and collective bargaining without being retaliated against.
12. Every Tennessean should have the right to recall any politician due to misappropriation or misallocation of public funds, especially if it benefits the wealthy and not the local, everyday working-class citizens.