MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Helen J. Glynn has joined the City of Murfreesboro as Assistant Director of Community Development.

Glynn comes to Murfreesboro with a wealth of technical experience in grant funding development and grant administration with her most recent position as a Grants Analyst 3 with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) in Nashville. As a Grants Analyst, Glynn was responsible for monitoring and compliance of state and federal grants for parks, trails, and greenways through state and federal funding (FHWA).

"Strong leadership is needed to effectively manage the funding allocation and operations of Community Development funding under the oversight of the Planning Director," said City Manager Craig Tindall. "I'm confident that with her expertise Helen Glynn can help us manage Community Development grants as the City places renewed focus on neighborhood redevelopment and community enhancement."

Glynn previously worked as a Planning Consultant on several federal and state grant reviews as well as planning projects in New Rochelle, New York from 2004 to 2016. Among her recent projects was assisting a grant writer/consultant with completing the strategic plan for a federally qualified health care center (FQHC) in New York City. Glynn also served as Grant Funded Program Coordinator for the Tarrytown Union Free School District in Sleepy Hollow, New York and as a Community Development Specialist for the City of New Rochelle, NY. From 2000-2006, Glynn was Executive Director for the Village of the Port Chester Youth Bureau, in the Village of Port Chester, New York and was responsible for all federal, state and local grant and proposal development.

"Helen Glynn brings significant grant administration, writing and review experience to the City's Community Development program," said Development Services Executive Director Sam Huddleston. "We look forward to utilizing her expertise in the City's Community Development grants program."

Glynn holds a master's degree in Regional Planning with a concentration in Community Development and a B.A. in Public Affairs and Policy Analysis from SUNY Albany in Albany, New York.

As assistant director, Glynn will assist Planning with affordable housing and community development initiatives. She has extensive experience in reviewing federally-funded programs and has provided technical assistance in the areas of federal and state compliance monitoring. This includes competitive grants, congressional earmarks and federal entitlement funding.

Community Development assists low- and moderate-income residents with affordable housing and economic opportunities in partnership with federal and state community development grant funds.

• Over the past decade, the Murfreesboro Community Development Department has achieved the following:

• helped more than 100 households acquire their first home;

• helped nonprofit organizations acquire housing units that guarantee affordable rent for very-low-income households each year;

• helped Habitat for Humanity purchase lots on which it has already constructed more than a dozen new owner-occupied houses and on which more than 70 more will be constructed over the next decade;

• and provided grants that have helped local nonprofits provide services to more than 250,000 of our residents over the last decade.