On February 12, 2022, Nashville separated the location below the Jefferson Street Bridge that served as a place of accommodation for the homeless for years with a fence. The Homeless Impact Division’s Harriet Wallace said that every camp resident has been put into an accommodation situation. Nashville did it as an element of a program to accommodate camp members. Wallace stated that Nashville is ahead of its schedule for its objective to accommodate members. The Salvation Army in Nashville has helped with this endeavor.
Wallace stated that Nashville planned to wait up to the time every person had been accommodated to close off this area. She stated that Nashville did not kick anyone out and that its effort was organized and strategic to relocate the campers into stable and safer locations. Instead of a permanent residence, the members may be put in locations to assist them with mental health or addiction services. Everyone is known to the HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) as well as can get further help.
Nashville Scene went to the camping location and saw some people there. A part of the new fence was accessible to the remaining tents.
A camper known as Alaska was surprised by the arrival of the fence on February 12, 2022, and he had not known any sign that it would go up. Alaska stated that the fence helps to contain the clutter at the campsite. When asked whether he was put into an accommodation situation, Alaska said that he did not make himself available to outreach staffers.
Wallace stated that February 14, 2022, would be the final day they collect the relocation of the campers and that the final camp resident should be moved by Friday. Nashville will place any other person at the campsite that day into its coordinated entry (CE) system, which matches homeless people with their required resources through the HMIS.
On February 09, 2022, the program triggered frustrations at the Continuum of Care Homelessness Planning Council. Some council members stated that Nashville was implementing the program without an appropriate vetting process or their feedback. The Metro Homeless Impact Division’s Interim Director Jay Servais presented the program in an earlier meeting. Servais stated that every camper below the bridge was known to Nashville.
Wallace stated that the Division expects to issue a report about the program in a few days. Councilor Ginny Welsch described the fence as “appalling,” and stated that the program bypassed the CE system of Nashville. Welsch and others have claimed that as the city prioritizes people by vulnerability and requirements, camp members jump the line.
While Nashville Metro had disclosed a plan to close the campsite last June, some campers remained in place.
Open Table Nashville issued a statement following the fencing of the campsite. For your information, Open Table Nashville is a nonprofit organization that serves homeless communities. As per the nonprofit, closing the camp attempts to eliminate homelessness visible in the center of the city but does not do much to fully tackle the systemic and complex homelessness issue. It also stated that this action would only make homeless people exist in locations that are more visible, like in doorways, around business storefronts, and on sidewalks.
The nonprofit also supports the motion from Councilor Ginny Welsch to make Renee Pratt of Metropolitan Social Services Director and Servais appear before the Nashville Metro Council Human Relations Committee.
The nonprofit also called out the plan with the long statement that it released following the Homelessness Planning Council’s meeting.