Nashville has officially decided not to create a government-run camping village for the homeless. The idea had been considered for several months by a task force formed by the Metro Homelessness Commission.
A handful of other cities operate tent villages and there was high interest in whether the idea would work in Nashville. And a long-simmering controversy about a camp next to Fort Negley and the Adventure Science Center (which the city dismantled in April) added urgency to the conversation.
Enthusiasm for a sanctioned tent village waned over several months while questions mounted.
“An alternative solution of some sort is probably easier and more likely … not on a Metro piece of land, but in some sort of a nonprofit or a religious context,” said Erik Cole, director of the Office of Economic Opportunity and Empowerment, during a meeting in March.
“We don’t have it in the budget pipeline. We haven’t identified agencies that could do the direct services,” Cole said. “I guess what I’m saying is this is the time for some nonprofits to make some pitches to us.”
Cole suggested Metro would be willing to play a supporting role to private groups that want to host tent villages. That passive position was adopted by the task force in a one-line recommendation that was delivered to Mayor Megan Barry last week. (See all recommendations here.)
In contrast, the city is advancing on plans to create a new team to respond to illegal camps in a way that’s less police-driven.
The “Homeless Outreach Team” will offer aid to the homeless while setting reasonable deadlines for them to move along. Metro will receive about $75,000 in federal funds for the team, and match that amount with city money.
At a meeting Wednesday, the Homelessness Commission is expected to continue working on written protocol for the response team to follow.
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