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Nashville officials outline plan for Old Tent City encampment, stress housing, outreach and safety
Summary
The Office of Homeless Services described a phased encampment strategy for ‘Old Tent City’ that prioritizes safety, interim housing options and intensive outreach; officials said units will not be paid for unless occupied and detailed schedules for engagement, storage and pets.
April Calvin, director of the Office of Homeless Services, told the Homelessness Planning Council on April 9 that the city is preparing a phased effort to move people from the encampment known as Old Tent City into interim and permanent housing while prioritizing safety and outreach.
Calvin said the city rebuilt its vendor arrangements in January and that “these units are not being paid for while people are not living there,” emphasizing the department’s intent not to waste housing dollars for empty units. She described a mix of interim options under consideration — bridge housing, single-room-occupancy units, shared housing, recovery programs, family reunification and medical respite — and said outreach teams have been engaging residents at the site for six to eight months.
Council members and committee members pressed for more quantitative details. An HPC member identified as Andy asked whether there were counts for…
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