As Nashville gets down to its last federal COVID money, homelessness and workforce development are the city’s top priorities

Nashville just has over $79 million of federal COVID-19 funds left to spend. 

For the last two years, the city shifted from emergency pandemic response to addressing systemic issues like homelessness. 

Nashville residents ranked housing, homelessness, workforce development and child care as top priorities. Metro’s COVID-19 Financial Oversight Committee has been using community feedback to guide its decisions.  

The city is still figuring out the most effective plan for distributing the rest. It has a list of guiding principles that include protecting the city from the pandemic, mitigating impacts and investing in evidence-based ways to close gaps in equity.

“Many lives have been lost. Many individuals are still suffering from the effects of the pandemic. So it has not been easy,” Councilmember and committee member Jennifer Gamble says. “But if there is a bright spot, we can say that this funding has been helpful in addressing issues that have been systemic and long-term in our communities and that were just exacerbated by the pandemic.”

Nashville received two rounds of federal aid. And now, it’s on the last bit of that funding also known as the American Rescue Plan. 

The U.S Department of Treasury says local governments have largely spent this money on keeping their cities running. 

“Let’s recognize that it is helping every corner of our community,” Mayor John Cooper says. “That goes from replenishing the fleet and equipment for our emergency services to substantial investments in creating affordable housing to bolstering social services to addressing homelessness and getting our unhoused neighbors stable housing options.”