The Sycamore Institute is an independent, nonpartisan public policy research center for Tennessee.
TERMS OF USE
Thank you for visiting The Sycamore Institute's page! We welcome your contributions to a thoughtful dialogue about public policy in Tennessee. Please keep in mind that comments posted by users do not necessarily reflect the views of The Sycamore Institute. We reserve the right to 1) delete comments that include profanity, name-calling, threats, personal attacks, or other inappropriate content at our discretion and 2) block users who repeatedly violate these guidelines.
06/02/2026
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is the largest federal program that supports the construction of affordable rental housing.
In FY 2024, Tennessee awarded $99.5 million in LIHTCs to build 824 new rental units and rehabilitate 60 more. From 2014 to 2023, the program supported 238 projects, creating over 22,500 affordable units across 67 counties.
https://sycamoretn.org/financing-affordable-housing/
05/27/2026
What are your go-to places to get local, state and national news? How much do you trust the information you read? We want to know where you stand!
Take the survey we've put out with Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and Press Forward for the 40 counties in Middle Tennessee. https://www.pressforwardmidtn.news/
05/26/2026
As of April 30, 2026, Tennessee had collected about 76% of the $21.9 billion in total budgeted revenue for FY 2026. https://buff.ly/xUCtP9F
05/22/2026
The number of kids who struggle with their mental health continues to grow in Tennessee, and knowing where to find nearby resources is an important step in getting them support.
https://sycamoretn.org/child-mental-health-services/
05/21/2026
Algorithms that know us better than we know ourselves. Hundreds of influencers and journalists to choose from. We all have different worlds of information at our fingertips that can make our realities look nothing alike. So, how do we find common ground? Last week we discussed these ideas at our Annual Forum, where we talked all things Feeds, Filters and the Future: How Information Shapes Public Life in Tennessee.
In case you missed it, learn more about why we do what we do. https://sycamoretn.org/history/
A special thank you to our Brilliant Sponsor, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
for supporting this event.
05/14/2026
04/28/2026
As of March 31, 2026, Tennessee had collected about 63% of the $21.9 billion in total budgeted revenue for FY 2026.
https://sycamoretn.org/2026-tax-revenue-tracker/
04/23/2026
Every month, Sycamore publishes a newsletter for subscribers that offers a monthly roundup of interesting news, analysis, and opinions. Email subscribers see it first, but you can read April's edition here:
The Scoop: Turning 105 - The Sycamore Institute It’s April, and after an East Tennessee woman turned 105, her community showered her with more than 200 birthday cards. How many cards does a 10th birthday get?
04/21/2026
According to data compiled by the Tennessee county and municipal technical assistance offices, 48 counties and 276 municipalities—or 51% and 80%, respectively—had adopted zoning ordinances as of 2025.
When local governments do rely on zoning, the framework includes formal planning bodies, zoning ordinances, building codes, and enforcement tools such as permits and inspections.
https://sycamoretn.org/zoning-in-tn/
Adjourn sine die.👨⚖️ You might hear a legislator say this phrase when the Tennessee legislature adjourns for the year. What does that mean? Policy Director Robin Yeh explains.