NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville city leaders broke ground on a major project to fight homelessness on Tuesday morning. It will be the city's first permanent supportive housing center.
The center will have five floors and 90 units total with a variety of amenities like accommodations for an on site clinic, office space for caseworkers, laundry rooms on each floor, green space with views of the river and more.
"It's long past time that we step up and make meaningful progress in helping our unhoused neighbors get back on their feet," said Mayor John Cooper.
"We are getting at the heart of what displaces people from their housing or keeps the most vulnerable from getting the housing that's created," said Director of Housing for Metro's Planning Department, Angela Hubbard.
Key to the center are the on-site services, like mental health, substance abuse and social services available for every resident.
"So there are some people that need the long-term forever supports and this is the type of housing that gives them that," said Hubbard. "So this is not any kind of temporary housing opportunity."
The groundbreaking ceremony was held at 600 Second Ave N. at 10 a.m. The ceremony came on the heels of a reportthat calls Nashville's approach to homelessness outdated.
The development is expected to cost $25 million and is set to open in the fall of next year.
