NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — One solution to our housing crisis? Preservation.
Nashville's affordable housing crisis is now a dilemma impacting much of middle Tennessee, and communities are finding they can't just build their way out of this crisis.
“These homes are older, they have a lot of stories, and a lot of life that’s been lived in them. People in them now want to stay in them,” said Keith Branson, standing outside an older home in North Nashville.
The one-story brick house has stood for decades, as have the homes it’s surrounded by. Most need work and many are owned by people on fixed incomes. It’s why Branson and his crew at Westminster Home Connection were there Wednesday, tools in hand.
“So our average client is in their 70’s, and the average time they’ve lived in their home is 30 years,” Branson said.
He leads Westminster Home Connection, a small but mighty non-profit with just eight employees and one mission.
“Our services allow people to remain in the homes they love, in the cities where they built their lives,” Branson said.
Through grants and private donors, Westminster Home Connection provides repairs and mobility modifications designed to help people age in place. They tackle roughly 250 homes a year spending about 3,000 dollars on each.
This project exceeds that budget. Repairs started at the top with a new roof.
“The roof was in very bad shape and had to be replaced immediately, and of course, we do that first so that everything stays dry,” explained Branson.
News gutters, a security door, an exterior vent, and crawl space cover all made the “to do list.”
“Our first question is — what does the homeowner need? What does our client need to stay in this home and live safely and functionally?” Branson said.
A bathroom overhaul was also needed, as leaky pipes had left their mark. The end result not only looks better, but it makes this home livable for years to come.
“Instead of focusing on costly new construction that are actually not financially available for your average Nashvillian, we are preserving homes that are already existing that are owned by older adults,” Branson said.
Homes that can be passed down, not only preserve neighborhoods and stories but create generational wealth. Westminster Home Connection works in Davidson and the surrounding counties and relies on donations and volunteers. Find out more on their website.
