Rebuilding Together Nashville Safe & Healthy Home Improvement Program

How it works

Rebuilding Together Nashville’s flagship Safe & Healthy Home Improvement Program (SHHIP) provides critical home repairs using skilled contractors for households that meet the organization’s eligibility criteria. The program is designed to address health and safety hazards so homeowners can age in place safely and comfortably.

RTN says it uses a 25-point Safe and Healthy Home Priority Checklist, developed in collaboration with the National Center for Healthy Housing, to assess each home and focus repairs on the improvements that will make the home safer and healthier for all residents.

What the money covers

This is not a cash grant or rebate. RTN provides repairs directly. The page lists common repairs including:

• Replacing hard-to-navigate bathtubs with walk-in showers
• Replacing low-sitting toilets with comfort-height toilets
• Replacing aged and uneven carpet with new non-carpet flooring
• Critical roof repair and gutter replacement
• Replacing aged doors and windows
• Installing new or replacing aged railings around stairs, steps, ramps, and decks
• Replacing low- or non-functioning major appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, and water heaters
• Repairing or replacing low- or non-functioning HVAC systems
• Repairing or replacing damaged or leaking water or sewer lines

Rapid repair option

For residents in target communities with urgent maintenance needs, RTN may provide immediate assistance for repairs costing $5,000 or less. The page says residents with qualifying issues should complete an Eligibility Screening Form, check the relevant issues, and then program staff will reach out to schedule a phone interview.

Maintenance issues listed for Rapid Repair Services include:

• Being unable to use a major appliance or fixture such as a stove, kitchen sink, toilet, shower, refrigerator, or HVAC system
• An active water leak or a burst water pipe

Disaster recovery and code issues

RTN also says it began disaster recovery work after the Nashville floods of 2010 and has helped residents recover from major severe weather events including the 2020 and 2023 tornadoes. Separately, the organization partners with Metro Environmental Court to help Davidson County residents with outstanding code violations through a court referral process.

How to apply

The page directs homeowners to learn how to apply for home repairs and to use the organization’s Get Help process. For Rapid Repair Services, the page specifically says to submit an Eligibility Screening Form and wait for a phone interview from staff.

Timing and deadlines

The page does not list a fixed application deadline. For Rapid Repair Services, assistance is described as immediate for eligible urgent repairs costing $5,000 or less. The page does not provide dates for the disaster recovery or code remediation components.