About the Awards

The Tennessee’s Best awards honors outstanding individuals and organizations whose contributions on behalf of affordable housing, whether producing, designing, developing, financing or promoting housing policy, inspires others to serve Tennesseans’ housing needs. Tennessee’s Best celebrates housing partners that consistently make a positive impact and showcases the best practices of developers, authorities, community service organizations and others.


Excellence in Partnership
recognizes the achievement of organizations working together to develop programs or services that promote or expand access to affordable housing.

Memphis Housing Authority – Memphis, TN - Winner
Dawn of Hope Foundation: Houses for Hope Project – Johnson City, TN
Fayetteville Housing Authority – Fayetteville, TN
2012 Regional Housing Summit – Nashville, TN
The City of Knoxville, Pinnacle Financial Partners & FAHE – Knoxville, Nashville, Berea, KY 
Pinnacle Financial Partners and North Nashville NSP Consortium – Nashville, TN
Knoxville Habitat for Humanity/Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation – Knoxville, TN
Horizon Community Development – Johnson City, TN
Chattanooga Housing Authority – Chattanooga, TN
Home Builders Association of the Upper Cumberland – Cookeville, TN
Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland – Cleveland, TN - Winner



Outstanding Advocate
recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding efforts in developing and advancing housing policy or legislation on the local or state level.

Colleen Dudley – Habitat for Humanity in Tennessee
Loretta Owens – The Housing Fund - Winner
Anthony Sledge – Memphis Center for Independent Living
Jeanne Price – Frontier Health Industries
Greater Nashville Association of Realtors


Remarkable Achievement Urban / Rural
recognizes excellence in the development or management of owner or rental housing, reflecting the highest standards in quality and sustainability. Two awards may be presented, one for urban efforts and a second for rural.

Dawn of Hope Foundation: Houses for Hope Project – Johnson City, TN
Mountain Hollow, LP – Elizabethton, TN - Winner Rural
Ole South Properties – Murfreesboro, TN
Flenniken Landing – Knoxville, TN - Winner Urban


The Best in Innovation
recognizes originality in the creation of affordable owner or rental housing in any of the following areas: design, universal design, development, financing, construction, collaboration, management, energy conservation, accessibility, special needs, adaptive reuse, mixed-use, or mixed income.

Southeastern Housing Foundation – Knoxville, TN
Knoxville Habitat for Humanity/Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation – Knoxville, TN
Knox Housing Partnership – Knoxville, TN
Mountain Hollow, LP – Elizabethton, TN
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville ReConstruct Program – Nashville, TN
The Residences at Eastport – Knoxville, TN - Winner


For more information contact Patricia M. Smith at 615-815-2185.