NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — How to help those without housing continues to mount concern from Nashville leaders.
Once a year, a census of sorts is taken to count the number of people experiencing homelessness. A one-night count of sheltered and unsheltered persons experiencing homelessness happened on the evening of Jan. 25 and the early morning hours of Jan. 26.
More than 100 volunteers from 27 agencies and universities participated in this year’s count. Nashville saw a decrease in literal homelessness, with 2,094 individuals experiencing homelessness, showcasing a 1.6% decrease from last year. Up to 725 people were unsheltered and 1,369 were inside a facility.
This story has a lot of numbers. I break that down in the player above.
Compared to last year, the unsheltered count increased by 135 in 2024.
"Unsheltered homeless (people) are typically more white. Sheltered individuals are more Black and African American," said April Calvin, director of the Nashville Office of Homeless Services.
Calvis said she looked at the data and thought there was more work to do.
She knows there are potentially more people struggling because this count doesn’t consider individuals and families who are doubled up or living in area motels without a voucher due to economic hardship.
"When we look at shelter options we want to make sure as a housing focus community, we focus on the permanent housing solutions or temporary housing solutions that we bring on," Calvin said.
The data also revealed 48% of the people counted reported having a serious mental illness. Of the count, 78% of people reported having a disability.
The Office of Homeless Services is getting ready to celebrate its first anniversary.
"It gives us a unified leadership structure. There’s not multiple initiatives. There’s one strategic plan for our continuum of care," Calvin said.
She's also been busy helping oversee the $50 million from federal pandemic money that was dedicated to addressing homelessness in 2022.
"It’s a three-year investment, so those funds will go until mid-2026. We’ve seen great work down by the community partners that applied for these funds, and we're working a lot alongside those agencies utilizing those funds," Calvin said.
