Tammy is a previously unhoused Middle Tennessean. She moved into a transitional motel in January 2022. More than a year later, she's still waiting on permanent housing.
Finding housing in Nashville can be tricky, but it can be a monumental task if you don’t have transportation, have a criminal record or don’t have a current address.
In this episode, we check in with Tammy, an unhoused woman who was applying for housing assistance when we first met her in March. We’ll also explore what resources are available to Nashvillians in need for permanent housing and hear from one guest about how homelessness is solvable.
But first, more than 600,000 now have dental coverage through TennCare. WPLN health reporter Blake Farmer will be in the studio at the top of the show to explain how the new coverage doesn’t guarantee a visit to the dentist.
Guests:
- Liz Mallard, formerly unhoused woman and current volunteer for Colby’s Army
- Alex Smith, formerly unhoused man and current homeless outreach worker
- Samantha MacAlpine, outreach worker for Open Table Nashville
- Judy Tackett, consultant and former executive director of Metro Homeless Impact Division
- Stephen Handy, pastor at McKendree UMC
Additional reading:
- For unhoused Nashvillians, the price of getting help is a ‘time tax on the poor’
- As Nashville closes encampment, it’s a new era for Brookmeade Park and a major adjustment for residents
Produced by freelancer Tasha A.F. Lemley.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM