NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Heather Seabrooks is no stranger to the homeless encampment off Interstate 24 on Interstate Drive near the TA Truckstop. She makes weekly visits to those who live here.
But encampment residents were recently told they have to be out by Oct. 6.
Now, with the help of others, Seabrooks is working to find them a new home.
"As a community we link together with other organizations and some of them have the ability to specialize in different areas — alcohol and drugs, mental health, documentation," said Seabrooks who is an outreach coordinator with Metro's Office of Homeless Services.
It comes after the city closed similar encampments in Brookmeade and Wentworth-Caldwell parks and more than 123 people were housed, according to the Office of Homeless Services.
Samantha Smith and her husband have lived at the encampment near the TA Truck stop since April.
"It's not good out here, I mean, honestly," she said.
To other residents of the encampment, Smith is known as "mama."
"It's a struggle every day to try to figure out what you're going to do each day and then you get discouraged," she said.
Now, she says she has a reason to hope again.
"I'm grateful. I'm very grateful because, I mean, I can't do this another year. I'm not going to," she said. "Somehow it's got to change."
While the goal is to find housing for everyone, that may look different for each person. Housing options will include apartments, townhomes, condos, shared housing (low subsidy locations, some with a focus on the disabled who rent homes and rooms), addiction facilities, and mental health facilities.
"We are doing it in the best, client-centered, safe-based, least traumatic way that we can," said Seabrooks.
As part of the move, residents will be given tubs to store their belongings, transportation to their new homes, help with their pets, and wraparound services.
The Office of Homeless Services has not released any information on future encampment closures.
