OUR BACKGROUND »
Knoxville Leadership Foundation (KLF), a faith-based 501c(3) was founded in 1994 and has a 22-year history of relationships with local government, nonprofits, churches, businesses and others of goodwill in our region. KLF’s strength is relationships, serving as a bridge for people to work outside of their comfort zone from urban to suburban communities and from suburban to urban communities.
KLF has in its structure two independent supporting (subsidiaries) organizations, Southeastern Housing Foundation (SHF) and Neighborhood Housing, Inc. (NHI). Each have their 501c(3) Tax Exempt determination from the IRS and each have a board of directors. They support KLF’s mission to provide affordable housing. Through the work of KLF and it’s subsidiaries, we have managed projects and programs of well over $25 million dollars.
SHF’s focus is on multi-family housing as noted above. SHF as an entity was transferred from the Knoxville Christian Community Foundation (KCCF) to KLF in 2006. At that time KCCF was downsizing and approached KLF about taking SHF. KLF’s board voted to take SHF which had some small ownership interested in a number of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit projects that were owned by a for-profit company. In 2008, the Mayor of Knoxville asked SHF to partner with the City and it’s plans to launch it’s Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. SHF became the fee developer for the City and develop two projects over the next 4-5 years, Minvilla Manor and Flenniken Landing. During this time SHF was able to acquire an additional 60 units in two apartment complexes, Sutherland Square and Hiawassee Square. Lastly, in 2015 SHF acquired Dunlap Gardens and then completed a $850,000 rehab in 2016 of the property. Today SHF, owns and operates 158 units in these four properties. We continue to look at new opportunities for development, ownership and operations of affordable housing properties throughout the southeast.
Knoxville Leadership Foundation’s second supporting subsidiary organization, Neighborhood Housing Inc. (NHI), develops energy-efficient, low-maintenance homes, both in the city of Knoxville and the surrounding counties for low-income individuals and families. NHI is a certified Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), a HUD classification, for the City of Knoxville. NHI has been in existence for over 20 years and has completed and sold over 110 homes to date. NHI’s Homebuyer Readiness Program (HRP), which began in 2009 as a result of the housing market decline and an increased need for credit and financial help for our clients before purchase. HRP is a turnkey program that walks clients through the home-buying process and prepares them to be successful homeowners. NHI also has the Operation Backyard (OBY) program, which provides free minor home repair for low-income and/or elderly homeowners who cannot afford these essential repairs. OBY is currently in its 19th year of providing home repairs for the homeowners of Knoxville/Knox County.