NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — With homeless camps established around the city, Nashville is having to deal with the duality of its unhoused neighbors and public safety.
The Metro Development and Housing Agency configured the numbers through a point-in-time count in 2022, when temperatures were around 34 degrees and no Metro overflow shelters. The numbers concluded that 1,916 Nashvillians were experiencing homelessness, a 5% decrease since 2020. No count happened in 2021 because of COVID-19.
NewsChannel 5 sent every person running for mayor a questionnaire with the same questions. We have not edited these answers from the candidates, meaning these responses are straight from them.
We’ve seen multiple neighborhoods grapple with the proliferation of homeless encampments that pose threats to public safety and sanitation. How would you balance compassionate treatment of the unhoused with the desire of citizens to live in clean, safe neighborhoods?
Natisha Brooks
As Mayor, our office will work with developers to build Zero Lot Line temporary housing for the Mentally ill and Homelessness until permanent residence and solutions are discovered for these citizens. Also, this solution is for those that reside under the bridges of our highways. We will depend on the residents of Nashville to inform the Mayor’s Office of homelessness camps near their neighborhoods so expeditiously the camps can be eradicated from the community.
Heidi Campbell
It’s true that safety concerns can arise with homeless encampments, but over-policing of them only exacerbates the issue. The recent bill that criminalized homelessness in Tennessee — yet another of legislative overreach by the state government — is a prime example of this. I voted against it in the Senate not only because of its many problems but also because of the dehumanizing message it sends.
My administration will work with our outstanding medical providers to give our unhoused citizens the resources they need, especially in the area of mental health. Additionally, I will expand and build relationships with community organizations like Oasis and Open Table to ensure that our efforts are community-led and prioritize transition opportunities.
Bernie Cox
I have seen this firsthand within my own neighborhood next door to where I reside. I have an enormous amount of empathy for those less fortunate, simply wanting to re-enter society . . . but there is no back door presently. I get it.
However not at the cost of decreasing property value, increasing crime and health issues within our community. Investment must be made in order to assist, train and motivate those that “want to be” helped. Not with individual hand outs, but with actual training and assets to help raise these folks to a feeling of self respect. Sadly, many have reached a mental incapacity and demand special psychiatric and medical assistance. But by no means should we allow these encampments to destroy our city. “Give a [person] a fish, they’ll eat for a day. Teach a [person] to fish . . . they’ll eat for a lifetime”.
Fran Bush
I would prioritize the implementation of a housing-first approach, which focuses on providing stable and permanent housing as the foundation for addressing homelessness. Allocate resources to create more affordable housing options, supportive housing, and rapid rehousing programs to help individuals transition from homelessness to stable housing.
Increase funding for outreach teams consisting of trained professionals who can engage with people experiencing homelessness in a compassionate and non-judgmental manner. These teams can provide essential services such as mental health support, substance abuse counseling, job training, and connections to healthcare and social services. Advocate for policies that support affordable housing development, living wages, healthcare expansion, and the integration of supportive services into the community.
Jim Gingrich
Homelessness is a tragedy, and something that our leaders have failed to effectively address for much too long. There is substantial data to show housing first is the most effective solution.
Cities that have been effective in addressing homelessness (e.g., Houston) have done four things: (1) coordinated the effort of various city agencies, non-profits, faith community, and community partners through the mayor’s office; (2) built sufficient quantities of permanent housing, the large majority being done by the private sector; (3) effectively scaled, supported and coordinated community partners/non-profits to provide the required support services; (4) built robust data-based processes and systems to support the entire effort. Last year, the city began construction of a permanent supportive housing facility of 90 units that will cost just nearly $300,000 a unit. However, we need several thousand units. As mayor, we will take the necessary steps to ensure that our private sector is building this type of housing (e.g., motel refurbishment) as well as more innovative/lower cost solutions (e.g., pre-manufactured housing such as what is going on at Fisk).
Sharon Hurt
Again, we need to get to the root of the problem before we get to the fruit of it. As the executive director of Street Works, I think about these problems every day. Our caseworkers connect people to housing, transportation and provide food. So I see these issues and I see these people. I believe when we think about homelessness, we need to think about the root causes, like mental health and substance use disorders, and the intersection of those problems with homelessness. We need to address these issues with wraparound social services to really address homelessness.
The next thing we need to do is address the affordable housing crisis so a person can afford to live in Nashville on any salary. I have a comprehensive plan for combating the affordable housing issue in Nashville. I plan on zoning government-owned land in Bordeaux and the East Bank for affordable housing and I will work with developers to incentivize this development.
Freddie O'Connell
I’m the most experienced candidate in this area, having served on the Homelessness Planning Council, chaired the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Oversight Committee, worked on the Metro Homeless Impact Division’s three-year strategic community plan, and created Metro’s new standalone Office of Homelessness Services with the support of my colleagues on the Metro Council. We’ve had significant discord even within Metro about solutions to this issue, but Mayor Cooper has initiated significant investment in mitigating homelessness for the first time ever, and now we’re on a path towards a long-term solution through the creation of a new standalone department — but only if this remains a priority when our next mayor takes office.
I worry about the safety of all of our residents, including the unhoused. We have to have options – and the reality is that shelters aren’t always an option for folks with mental illnesses, disabilities, or those uncomfortable in faith-based spaces. Some of our neighbors might never be able to produce enough income to attain market-rate housing, and some have disabilities or mental health conditions that mean they will always need services unavailable in traditional housing scenarios.
We’ve begun investments in permanent supportive housing — which combines housing with services for those Nashvillians at greatest risk of chronic homelessness — and we’ve seen that the Barnes Housing Trust Fund can create housing options for people in the most difficult of circumstances. We’ll continue to follow successful models for what works in other cities to accelerate our housing options and service delivery.
Alice Rolli
As Mayor we will continue to advance the resources to create more housing (Nashville spent more of its federal COVID relief money on housing for the homeless than any other city in the country, this should be applauded). We will challenge the many strong non-profits and departments within the city working on homelessness to determine how we can be more streamlined and accountable in our services and in delivering solutions - because we’ve seen that programs where there is accountability (such as the Contributor) achieve greater long term results in reducing homelessness, teaching job skills, and ensuring individuals ability to maintain permanent housing.
We will advocate for legislation proposed to build more residential mental health treatment beds across the state to ensure that individuals with mental health challenges have a bed in a state-funded treatment center. We will support our police in their work to apprehend and arrest individuals committing crimes in homeless encampments - and contributing to higher crime and reduced quality of life for nearby neighbors.
Vivian Wilhoite
We must have both public safety and compassionate leadership to address these issues. Government cannot solve these issues alone. We must partner with the private sector and with Nashville-Davidson’s many nonprofits to ensure that we have all the resources necessary to house the unhoused. This will oftentimes mean that we are investing in mental health and addiction treatment services for those experiencing homelessness. Being homeless should not be a crime. However, being homeless does not also mean that the homeless can trespass on someone’s private property. We must do what we can as a city to help all our neighbors put a roof over their head.
Matt Wiltshire
Nashville’s affordable housing crisis has greatly contributed to the challenges we face in housing insecurity and homelessness. I’ve outlined specific strategies I will employ as Mayor to arrest the growth in the cost of housing. Additionally, we need to be doing a better job providing wrap-around services to folks experiencing acute housing insecurity, including: mental health support, addiction and recovery services, and employment assistance.
With all of that said, we cannot allow our parks or sidewalks to be taken over and degrade Nashville’s quality of life. After we provide adequate supportive options, we must hold accountable the folks who refuse that help.
Jeff Yarbro
Addressing Nashville’s homelessness population requires a comprehensive approach that tackles the immediate needs of these vulnerable individuals and the underlying systemic issues that contribute to their displacement. As Mayor, I would work to expand and enhance shelter options. I will ensure that the shelters are safe and staffed with compassionate people who understand the challenges the homeless face. And, it's crucial to provide comprehensive support services that go beyond shelter. I would prioritize funding for mental health services, substance abuse treatment, job training, and educational programs. By addressing specific needs, we can help people regain stability and build brighter futures.
