Community Redevelopment Agency Convenes 2026 Land Expo to Tackle Memphis Housing Goals

Community Redevelopment Agency Convenes 2026 Land Expo to Tackle Memphis Housing Goals

In a significant step toward addressing the city's housing shortage, the Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is hosting the 2026 Land Expo today, Saturday, February 21. The session is taking place at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., serving as a critical platform for government officials and local developers to align on the city's aggressive revitalization targets.

Today’s event focuses on the practical implementation of the housing strategies championed by the administration of Mayor Paul Young. During his State of the City address earlier this month, the Mayor emphasized that increasing the housing supply is foundational to the "Memphis Rises" initiative. The expo is designed to facilitate this by connecting industry experts with the tools needed to acquire and develop blighted or vacant lots currently held in the public trust.

The primary focus of today’s government session includes several key initiatives intended to lower the barriers to entry for local builders and non-profit organizations:

• The Essential Housing Program: CRA representatives are providing in-depth briefings on this program, which offers financial incentives and subsidies to ensure that new developments remain affordable for Memphis families.
• Land Acquisition Procedures: Officials are presenting a streamlined process for the purchase of city-owned and county-owned vacant lots, aimed at accelerating the transformation of neighborhood eyesores into residential assets.
• Pre-Development Funding: The session highlights available grants and financing options intended to cover early-stage costs for projects that align with the city's core revitalization zones.
• Alignment with 2030 Goals: The agency is detailing how today’s participants can contribute to the Mayor's mandate of building 10,000 new homes within the city’s core over the next four years.

CRA leadership noted that today's meeting is essential for "bridging the gap" in home accessibility. By bringing these discussions into the community at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, the agency aims to ensure that development remains inclusive and that neighborhood residents have a direct line to the decision-makers overseeing these public programs.

While the Memphis City Council is not in session today—with its next regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 24—today's activity by the CRA highlights the administration's commitment to consistent progress on public safety and economic growth. City officials have consistently maintained that revitalizing vacant land is a key pillar in their strategy to reduce serious crime, which has already seen a historic 40 percent reduction since the start of the current administration's term.

Local residents and stakeholders attending the expo today will have the opportunity to engage directly with CRA staff and provide feedback on the upcoming modifications to the development code, which are expected to be presented to the City Council in the coming months.