Office of Homeless Services reports modest increase in point-in-time count, highlights housing placements and contingency planning

Allison Cantway of the Office of Homeless Services told the Metropolitan Government Public Health & Safety Committee that the city’s point-in-time count recorded 2,180 people experiencing literal homelessness this year, a 4.1% increase from the prior year. Cantway said 602 of those were unsheltered — people sleeping outdoors, in vehicles or other places not meant for human habitation — and that unsheltered counts were likely reduced on the night of the count because the cold weather overflow shelter was open.

Cantway said the office submitted the point-in-time numbers to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and that HUD must approve the submission before Metro shares the numbers publicly. She described other recent activity: a State of Homelessness symposium on June 4 that drew nearly 300 attendees and national and local experts; a multi-agency community leadership workshop with an outside facilitator; and the conclusion of housing operations at Anthy's Drive, where 107 people (and 48 pets) were placed in temporary or permanent housing and 16 were moved directly into permanent housing.

On contingency planning, Cantway said Metro and community partners have been developing plans in case federal funding sources are reduced or paused. She said the sector already has been discussing alternative funding sources and how to document concrete outcomes that different funding streams produce, including landlord leasing through low-barrier housing programs and services that prevent child homelessness. “We have had lots of meetings with all of the agencies that receive federal funds to talk about not only what would be our plan and other sources of funding… but also how do we adequately capture what these funds pay for, in really concrete terms,” she said.

Councilmember Huffman, who noted the committee was scheduled to vote on an operating budget that would increase funding for the Office of Homeless Services, emphasized the timing of that vote amid broader federal funding uncertainty. Huffman asked and Cantway confirmed that the point-in-time count includes people living in cars. Cantway said Metro is tracking service provision outcomes monthly in addition to the point-in-time snapshot and that monthly tallies will typically report higher totals because they capture a broader set of contacts and services across the month.

Cantway also summarized follow-up work with providers and funders and said the facilitator engaged for leadership workshops was recommended by a local agency (People Loving Nashville) and vetted by OHS before being hired for a day-long session and follow-ups.

Ending: Committee members thanked OHS for the update and encouraged continued planning for potential federal funding reductions and ongoing coordination with nonprofit partners.