Hard Bargain Mt. Hope Redevelopment Inc.
General Information
Contact Information
Nonprofit
Hard Bargain Mt. Hope Redevelopment Inc.
Address
608 Mt. Hope St.
Franklin, TN 37064
Phone
(615) 591-0504
Fax
615 435-3337
Web Site
Web Site
Facebook
Facebook
Twitter
Twitter
Email
[email protected]
At A Glance
Year of Incorporation
2004
Hard Bargain Association
1
Mission & Impact
Statements
Mission
Our Mission is to impact lives and preserve the Hard Bargain neighborhood by rehabbing existing homes,
building quality affordable housing, and enriching the lives of our neighbors.
Our Vision is to:
Restore the neighborhood through rehabilitation and construction of new affordable housing.Utilize the
community center for educational opportunities, job training, technological advancement, social interaction and
community building.Transform the neighborhood into a vibrant community to be proud of for generations to
come.
The emphasis is on restoring the current community and not allowing gentrification of this historic neighborhood.
HBA repairs existing homes and offers quality, affordable homes for purchase to people who have not been
able to attain the dream of home ownership. This is possible with the help of donated services and materials,
volunteer labor, and financial contributions.
By providing affordable homes for purchase, repairing existing homes and structures, and beautifying public
spaces, our vision is to help transform the neighborhood into a vibrant community to be proud of for generations
to come.
HBA is working together with the residents of this historic neighborhood to restore and rebuild it into what their
vision is for the neighborhood and its future. We do this by having regular community meetings, design
workshops, and having residents of the neighborhood on our board of directors and advisory board. Volunteers
help in various ways including doing rehab projects on homes (repairs, painting, roofing, etc…) landscaping,
gardening, clean up, fundraising events and other volunteer projects.
The emphasis is on restoring the current community and not allowing gentrification of this historic neighborhood.
HBA reapirs existing homes and offers quality, affordable homes for purchase to people who have not been
able to attain the dream of home ownership. This is possible with the help of donated services and materials,
volunteer labor, and financial contributions.
2
Background
The Hard Bargain neighborhood was established in 1875. W.S. McLemore, a freed slave, subdivided 15 acres
which he called Hard Bargain because of the difficult land deal that was struck in 1866. Hard Bargain became a
thriving African American community.
A group of neighborhood residents and others wanting to preserved Hard Bargain formed a Community
Development Corporation in 2004 and in March 2006 Hard Bargain Mt. Hope Redevelopment obtained its
501(c)(3) non-profit status. In the early days, doing repairs on homes in the neighborhood was the focus. Over
time, four properties were acquired on Mt. Hope Street, Glass Street, and Green Street to build affordable
housing in Hard Bargain.
David Crane, president of Crane Builders and HBA board member, has served as the builder for all of our
homes. The ribbon cutting for the first house at 613 Mt. Hope Street was held on April 14, 2007. Following the
ribbon cutting, Town Planning & Urban Design Collaborative facilitated a community design workshop where
residents from the neighborhood gave input to help create a master plan for Hard Bargain. In February 2008,
the City of Franklin adopted the plan as a part of their Community Revitalization Plan for Franklin.
The second house at 952 Green Street was completed in November 2008. The third house at 727 Mt. Hope
Street was finished in October 2010. The fourth house, a 2 bedroom/1 bath cottage at 956 Green Street, was
completed in March 2011.
In June of 2011, an early morning fire destroyed the home of Big John Murphy, a life-long resident of Hard
Bargain. Volunteers and donors worked together to raise the money for his new home, our fifth house to build.
He moved into his new home in April 2012.
HBA built it’s sixth home at 709 Mt. Hope Street for Derrick and Marquita Solomon, and their son. Marquita is
the granddaughter of Rev. Denny Denson, one of the founders of HBA. HBA’s seventh home at 363 9th Ave.
North was completed in October 2013. We built our 8th home at 361 9th Ave. North in October 2014. In June
2014, we held a ribbon cutting for our Planned Unit Development where we will build 5 new homes in a
"Bunglow Court."
For many years, the residents of Hard Bargain have wanted a community center in the neighborhood. During
the summer of 2012, Solomon Builders and the Ty 2 Foundation renovated the former cemetery caretaker's
home next to the Mt. Hope cemetery. Ty's House, named in memory of Ty Osman II, serves as Hard Bargain’s
new community center and office.
Impact
Our top accomplishments during 2015: 1. We were featured in Southern Living Magazine's August issue for
their Home Award for "Best Community Revitalization." This gave regional and national exposure for Hard
Bargain and for Franklin. 2. Continued to repair homes of elderly and low-income residents with our Rehab
Program 3. Offered programs in Ty's House, our community center and office. (Computer classes, healthy
cooking classes, Spanish classes, Bible studies, etc.)
Our top three goals for 2016: 3. Complete the infrastructure for our Planned Unit Development (PUD) so we can
build homes to sell to low income families. 2. Begin the construction of 3 new homes for low to moderate income
families. 3. Continuing our Rehab Program- home repairs and renovations for elderly and low-income home
owners in the neighborhood. 4. Continue teaching computer classes and expand other classes and programs in
our community center 4. Secure funding from foundations, churches, individuals, and businesses for our
operating support and for our Planned Unit Development/new home construction.
Needs
1. Securing funding from individuals, foundations, businesses and local churches.
2. Raise remaing funds for infrastructure expenses (underground utilities, grading, lighting, road construction,
and sidewalks) for our Planned Unit Development's Bungalow Court where we will build 5 new homes
3. Developing programs in our community center
4. Advocate for affordable housing in Franklin.
5. Obtaining in-kind gifts (tools, construction materials, paint, flooring, etc...)
Other ways to donate, support, or volunteer
Checks made payable to Hard Bargain Association can be mailed to HBA, PO Box 545, Franklin, TN 370650545. We accept in-kind donations of gently used appliances, furniture, automobiles, as well as gardening
supplies, tools, paint brushes, etc. To inquire about volunteer opportunities, contact Ashley Pope at 615-5910504 or [email protected].
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Service Categories
Primary Organization Category
Housing, Shelter / Home Improvement/Repairs
Secondary Organization Category
Community Improvement, Capacity Building / Community & Neighbourhood Development
Areas of Service
Areas Served
TN - Williamson
The Hard Bargain neighborhood is located in downtown Franklin, Tennessee
Board Chair Statement
My first experience in the Hard Bargain neighborhood came years before Hard Bargain Association (HBA) was
formed. My wife and I fostered two children from the Hard Bargain neighborhood at the request of some local
pastors. The children lived with our family for about 11 years. During that process, we spent a lot of time in Hard
Bargain and witnessed the needs and challenges of the neighborhood first hand. This involvement led to my
joining the board of HBA soon after it was formed.
One of the challenges we as a nonprofit organization have faced over the years has been finding people who
can qualify to purchase our homes. (This has been especially difficult the past few years after banks increased
the minimum credit scores for loans after the foreclosure crisis.) Facing this challenge, we turned to GAP
Community Development Resources and Community Housing Partnership to help us find potential candidates
and prepare them for homeownership through homebuyer education classes. (We require that all of our
potential homebuyers complete a homebuyer’s education course.) These agencies also help the candidates
clean up their credit, work on budgeting, and teach home maintenance. Additionally, we have partnered with the
Franklin Housing Authority to find potential candidates for homeownership.
Another challenge we experienced in our early years was a general lack of trust from the neighborhood
residents. In general, they were suspicious that a group of “outsiders” could have the best interest of the
neighborhood at heart. Since there was very little we could say to combat the lack of trust, went about repairing
homes of those who requested help and building and selling new homes to first-time homeowners. Slowly, very
slowly, things changed. Neighbors saw families moving into our beautiful new homes priced below market
value. The residents took notice when we put on new roofs, replaced windows, built decks, and did repairs in
the neighborhood. Eventually, lack of trust turned into appreciation and involvement. Currently, half of our board
of directors is composed of Hard Bargain residents or “stakeholders” (people who grew up in the neighborhood
or work in the neighborhood). We hold regular neighborhood meetings to get input from residents on projects
we are considering. We actively engage with our Hard Bargain friends on how we can better serve the
neighborhood together. Today there is a feeling that HBA is a friend to all residents, belongs to the
neighborhood, and advocates for the preservation of this historic the neighborhood.
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CEO Statement
Hard Bargain is a unique neighborhood and Hard Bargain Association (HBA) is a unique nonprofit. Many of the
current residents can trace their roots back to the original families who settled in Hard Bargain in the late 1800's.
Hard Bargain has fought for over 100 years to be preserved. HBA’s emphasis is on restoring the current
community and not allowing gentrification of this historic neighborhood. By providing affordable homes for
purchase, repairing existing homes and structures, and beautifying public spaces, HBA’s vision is to help
transform the neighborhood into a vibrant community to be proud of for generations to come.
We are different from other affordable housing organizations with a similar focus for 3 reasons: 1. The goals and
direction of HBA are based on input from the Hard Bargain residents. We are not a bunch of outsiders coming
into the neighborhood with our own agenda. We are a Community Based Development Organization. 50% of
our board is composed of Hard Bargain residents or neighborhood "stakeholders" (people who grew up here or
serve the neighborhood) and the other half consists of people from the greater community who care about Hard
Bargain. We have regular neighborhood meetings to find out what the residents want for Hard Bargain. 2. We
build high quality, affordable homes using period sensitive designs to maintain the historical significance and
character of the neighborhood. Each home is unique and fits in with the existing homes. 3. We do not use
volunteers to build our homes. We only use experienced general contractors, subcontractors and design
professionals (some of whom discount or donate their time and/or materials) to ensure durability, longevity, and
long-term safety. We are building homes that will last 100+ years, so families can hand them down to the next
generation. Hard Bargain is a generational neighborhood and our homes are built to be passed down to future
generations.
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Programs
Programs
Homeownership Program
Description
The lack of affordable housing is a critical issue Franklin and Williamson
County. The median sales price of a house in Franklin in February 2016
was $418,282. For a low to moderate-income family, the dream of home
ownership is out of reach. We are working together with residents of the
Hard Bargain neighborhood, Franklin community leaders, neighborhood
planning and design professionals, and the City of Franklin to offer quality,
affordable homes at no profit. We use period sensitive designs to maintain
the historical significance and character of the neighborhood. It is
important to provide affordable housing in a wealthy county where many
who serve our community cannot afford to live here.
Population Served
, Adults,
Rehab Program
Description
Our Rehab Program was created to help repair the homes of low-income
and elderly residents in Hard Bargain. The work is done by volunteers and
contracted labor. Most low-income families cannot afford to repair their
homes. If certain repairs are not taken care of, they often turn into bigger
problems, costing more money. The majority of Hard Bargain’s elderly
residents are on fixed incomes and do not have money set aside to repair
their homes. This program benefits the resident whose home is being
repaired and contributes to the revitalization of the neighborhood.
Population Served
,,
Community Center programs
Description
In October 2012, we opened Ty's House, a community center in Hard
Bargain. This was something the residents had wanted for years. We offer
computer classes, cooking classes, financial management classes, and
others as well as host a fall and spring festival for neighborhood residents.
We have an Internet Café so children and adults can have access to
computers and the internet. Additional educational and training programs
take place throughout the year.
Budget
13606
Category
Community Development, General/Other Community Renewal
Population Served
Blacks, African Heritage, Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent,
General/Unspecified
CEO Comments
One of the biggest challenges for our Homeownership Program is finding people who can qualify for a
mortgage. After the economic downturn in 2009, a foreclosure crisis hit most of the country. In response, banks
increased the minimum credit score for those applying for loans. This has made it challenging for low to
moderate income people interested in buying a home. We work collaboratively with Community Housing
Partnership of Williamson County. They provide homebuyer education classes and help clients clean up their
credit and learn to live on a budget, and become "mortgage ready." Steve Murray, who teaches the classes,
also serves as a financial coach during the process.
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Foundation Comments
The Tennessean Features Work of Hard Bargain Mt. Hope Redevelopment - January 2, 2012
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Governance
Board Chair
Board Chair
Mr. Chuck Bennett
Company Affiliation
HCA
Term
Jan 2017 to Dec 2017
Email
[email protected]
Board Members
Name
Affiliation
Status
Ms. Kayla Beebe
IDS
Voting
Mr. Chuck Bennett
HCA
Voting
Ms. Katherine Black
Community Volunteer
Voting
Ms. Denise Carothers
Boys & Girls Club of Franklin and
Williamson County
Voting
Mr. David Crane
Crane Builders
Voting
Mr. Sonny Kelton
HCA
Voting
Ms. Tangie Lane
New Hope Academy
Voting
Ms. Janet Mayberry Wells
Advanced Composites
Voting
Mr. John Murphy
Retired
Voting
Rev. Scott Roley
The Franklin Table
Voting
Mr. Harry Shields
Technology Express, LLC
Voting
Mr. Derrick Solomon
Comcast
Voting
Mr. Mort Stein
Trace Realty
Voting
Ms. Pam Stone
Stone Financial Services
Voting
Board Demographics - Ethnicity
African American/Black
7
Asian American/Pacific Islander
0
Caucasian
7
Hispanic/Latino
0
Native American/American Indian
0
Other
0
Board Demographics - Gender
Male
8
Female
6
Unspecified
0
Governance
8
Board Term Lengths
3
Board Term Limits
0
Board Meeting Attendance %
85%
Written Board Selection Criteria?
No
Written Conflict of Interest Policy?
Yes
Percentage Making Monetary Contributions
100%
Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions
100%
Constituency Includes Client Representation
Yes
Number of Full Board Meetings Annually
11
Standing Committees
Development / Fund Development / Fund Raising / Grant Writing / Major Gifts
Executive
Finance
Housing and Community Development
Community Outreach / Community Relations
Project Oversight
Risk Management Provisions
Accident & Injury Coverage
Automobile Insurance
Commercial General Insurance
Commercial General Liability
Commercial General Liability & D and O & Umbrella or Excess & Automobile & Professional
Computer Equipment & Software
Corporal Punishment Liability
Directors and Officers Policy
Employee Benefits Liability
Employment Practices Liability
General Property Coverage
General Property Coverage & Professional Liability
Improper Sexual Conduct/Sexual Abuse
Professional Liability
See Management and Governance Comments
Special Event Liability
Workers Compensation & Employers' Liability
Flood
CEO Comments
We are a grassroots organization and make it a priority that half of our board is composed of neighborhood
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residents or "stakeholders" (people who grew up in the Hard Bargain or serve in Hard Bargain). Other board
members are people who have a heart for the neighborhood and want to see if preserved and protected from
gentrification.
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Management
Executive Director/CEO
Executive Director
Mr. Brant Bousquet
Term Start
May 2007
Email
[email protected]
Experience
I served as the director of a campus ministry at Vanderbilt from 1992 to 2001. Worked as the director of
development for a non-profit pediatric clinic for 5 years before I came to Hard Bargain Association. After I
started my job at Hard Bargain, I entered a Masters in Nonprofit Management program at Eastern University
and graduated in May 2009.
Staff
Full Time Staff
2
Part Time Staff
0
Volunteers
120
Contractors
2
Retention Rate
75%
Plans & Policies
Does the organization have a documented Fundraising Plan?
No
Does the organization have an approved Strategic Plan?
Yes
Number of years Strategic Plan Considers
4
When was Strategic Plan adopted?
Apr 2014
In case of a change in leadership, is a Management Succession plan in place?
No
Does the organization have a Policies and Procedures Plan?
No
Does the organization have a Nondiscrimination Policy?
No
Does the organization have a Whistle Blower Policy?
No
Does the organization have a Document Destruction Policy?
No
Affiliations
Affiliation
Year
11
Heritage Foundation & Downtown Franklin
Association
2007
Chamber of Commerce
2007
AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals)
2007
Awards
Awards
Award/Recognition
Organization
Year
Preservation Award for New
Residential Construction
Heritage Foundation of Franklin &
Williamson County
2007
Honorable Mention for New
Residential Construction
Heritage Foundation of Franklin &
Williamson County
2011
Preservation Award for New
Residential Construction
Heritage Foundation of Franklin &
Williamson County
2012
Preservation Award for Adaptive
Reuse
Heritage Foundation of Franklin &
Williamson County
2013
Preservation Award for New
Residential Construction
Heritage Foundation of Franklin &
Williamson County
2014
Non-profit Award of Merit
Heritage Foundation of Franklin &
Williamson County
2014
Preservation Award for Residential Heritage Foundation of Franklin &
Infill
Williamson County
2015
2015 Home Award for Best
Community Revitalization
2015
Southern Living magazine
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Financials
Fiscal Year
Fiscal Year Start
Jan 01 2017
Fiscal Year End
Dec 31 2017
Projected Revenue
$185,850.00
Projected Expenses
$183,144.00
Endowment Value
$0.00
Endowment Spending Percentage (if selected)
0%
Detailed Financials
Revenue and Expenses
Fiscal Year
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
Revenue Sources
Fiscal Year
Foundation and Corporation
Contributions
Government Contributions
Federal
State
Local
Unspecified
Individual Contributions
Indirect Public Support
Earned Revenue
Investment Income, Net of Losses
Membership Dues
Special Events
Revenue In-Kind
Other
2015
$433,575
$193,689
2014
$242,500
$176,765
2013
$215,925
$212,698
2015
$222,750
2014
$0
2013
$35,444
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$103,120
$0
$500
$109
$0
$68,704
$38,392
$0
$94,878
$0
$0
$0
$94,878
$107,806
$0
$2,398
$118
$0
$37,122
$0
$178
$34,900
$0
$0
$0
$34,900
$67,683
$0
$6,094
$61
$0
$47,951
$23,792
$0
13
Expense Allocation
Fiscal Year
Program Expense
Administration Expense
Fundraising Expense
Payments to Affiliates
Total Revenue/Total Expenses
Program Expense/Total Expenses
Fundraising Expense/Contributed
Revenue
Assets and Liabilities
Fiscal Year
Total Assets
Current Assets
Long-Term Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Total Net Assets
Short Term Solvency
Fiscal Year
Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current
Liabilities
Long Term Solvency
Fiscal Year
Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets
2015
$100,267
$52,231
$41,191
$0
2.24
52%
10%
2014
$107,410
$42,818
$26,537
$0
1.37
61%
11%
2013
$125,694
$37,116
$49,888
$0
1.02
59%
27%
2015
$681,406
$211,140
$50,000
$10,599
$620,807
2014
$606,595
$264,895
$200,000
$0
$380,921
2013
$411,294
$159,928
$82,597
$13,511
$315,186
2015
19.92
2014
--
2013
11.84
2015
7%
2014
33%
2013
20%
Top Funding Sources
Fiscal Year
Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount
2015
Foundations and
Corporations
$222,750
Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Contributions, Gifts
Amount
and Grants $103,120
Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar
Fundraising Events
Amount
$68,704
2014
2013
Contributions, Gifts & Contributions and
Grants $107,806
Gifts $67,683
Government Grants
$94,878
Fundraising Events
$37,122
Special Events
$47,951
Foundations and
Corporations
$35,444
Capital Campaign
Is the organization currently conducting a Capital
Campaign for an endowment or the purchase of a
major asset?
No
Capital Campaign Goal
$0.00
Capital Campaign Raised-to-Date Amount
$0.00 as of 0
Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years?
No
State Charitable Solicitations Permit
TN Charitable Solicitations Registration
Yes - Expires June 2017
Registration
No 0
Organization Comments
As of 3/20/17, we have paid off both of the loans used to fund the infrastructure costs of our Planned Unit
Development on which we are building 5 new homes in the Hard Bargain neighborhood. We have a board
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reserve of $95,000 designated for 8 months of operating expenses that can be used for loan pay down or pay
off. However, we are confident that we can continue to raise the funds through donations without cannibalizing
our operating and new house construction/rehab program donations.
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) require that we expense 1/5 of the total capitalized Planned
Unit Development costs as we build and sell each of the 5 houses planned over the next few years. Therefore,
total expenses over the next few years will include this expense until all five planned houses are completed and
sold. The donated and grant revenues that were used to cover the infrastructure costs of the PUD are
recorded in the years ended 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016. Therefore, one should view our financials from 2013
th
through the year of building and selling the 5 PUD house (estimated to be early 2018) to get a complete
financial picture.
We are in the process of having an audit for 2016 and finishing our IRS form 990. This will be completed by
August 15, 2017.
GivingMatters.com Financial Comments
Financials taken primarily from the audit, with supplementary material from the IRS Form 990.
Financials prepared by McKerly & Noonan, PC, CPA.
Comments provided by Kathryn Bennett 10/3/16.
Created 06.15.2017.
Copyright © 2017 The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
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