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Housing

Historically speaking, Nashville was a relatively affordable place to live. Before 2010 let’s say, it wasn’t unreasonable to expect that your average full-time job could afford you a place to rent or even buy within a 15 minute drive to the center of town. You might even have enough space for your band to rehearse.

But with the average home price now over $400K, once working class neighborhoods near the city center have become out of reach for all but upper income residents. Options for lower income Nashvillians have dwindled. And with the city projected to continue to grow at a rapid clip, the future of affordable housing seems tenuous without strong policies and interventions to address it.

The WPLN newsroom will continue to report on the state of housing in Middle Tennessee as the region continues to reckon with the consequences of its rapid growth.

Join the conversation! We’ve dedicated several episodes of This Is Nashville to the rising cost of housing. Listen on any podcasting app, or on our website:

‘Co-housing’ hasn’t taken off in Middle Tennessee, but it’s thriving 10 years later on this Nashville block

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As demand for housing rises and loneliness rates spike, some Nashvillians are looking to innovative living situations. One such arrangement is “co-housing.”

In My Place, Episode 9: Solutions

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Over the course of our nine-part series, we’ve explored the interconnectedness of housing and homelessness. Today, on the last episode of In My Place, we summarize and ask our guests “next step” questions.

Nashville’s churches — and their land holdings — could boost affordable housing. Here’s how Metro wants to help.

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The role of churches, and the land they own, are an increasing focus of Nashville’s efforts to improve housing affordability. Federal funding will help Metro take a coordinating role.

In My Place, Episode 8: The impact of homelessness on residents and business owners

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Homelessness negatively impacts those who experience it as well as the cities where the unhoused are present and the neighborhoods where they build permanent structures for protection.

Living in a home after being unhoused can be daunting. A Nashville developer is trying to help.

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The Wallace Street apartments are designed to help make the transition into housing for previously unhoused tenants easier.

In My Place, Episode 7: Permanent supportive housing

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It’s clear that housing ends homelessness. Today, we look at what’s necessary for communities and developers to build permanent supportive housing and make it work.

The next generation of architects building the new Nashville

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Heiman. Strickland. McKissack. If you recognize these names, then you know at least some of Nashville’s storied architectural history.

In My Place, Episode 6: Hidden homelessness

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When people think about homelessness, they usually think of the people they see holding up a sign on a street corner, sleeping on a park bench, or asking for money outside of a store.

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