Office of Homeless Services reports ARPA spending plans, selects Anthes Drive encampment for housing surge and updates on Wallace Road hospitality hub

Lisonbee Cantway of the Office of Homeless Services briefed the Public Health & Safety Committee on the office's ARPA portfolio and recent operational activity.

Cantway, who introduced herself as an Office of Homeless Services staffer, said the office is tracking federal Continuum of Care (CoC) funding and coordinating with local agencies that receive CoC awards. She said the city expects about $11.8 million in CoC funding this year and that award letters went to local agencies; some agencies received contracts that were later rescinded, and at least one local agency has now signed a returned contract.

Cantway said the prioritization team has selected the Anthes Drive encampment for the next housing surge. Committee members were told the encampment population is about 20 people and that the city issued a 60‑day notice for the site, while the office and partner organizations are trying to house people faster than that timetable. The office said the hospitality hub at 95 Wallace Road has vacant capacity (discussed in committee as approximately 22 vacant units) and that partners from the Memphis hospitality hub are embedded in Nashville operations to help intake and place residents.

Cantway described the Office's emergency response during recent storms: the office provided 58 bus passes, 13 dispatched rides, and conducted safety checks at encampments. She said staff are coordinating closely with the Office of Emergency Management and the Office of OEM's Chief Swan on storm response and potential FEMA/State assistance.

On specific projects, Cantway said Shelby House — a development funded by Metro's affordable housing gap financing program — received allocations of $2,100,000 and $712,544 to serve several populations including market‑rate residents, programs with abstinence‑based services and housing‑first supportive units.

Committee members asked about housing‑first versus abstinence‑based placements. Cantway reiterated that the city uses a housing‑first approach as the primary model for stability: “housing first is very, very low barrier,” she said, adding that the approach seeks to place people in housing first and provide services thereafter.

Council members asked about small “pallet” shelter procurement. Staff said an RFP for pallet shelters was delayed after the health department lost two positions following federal CDC cuts; the project team is regrouping and the Office of Homeless Services is stepping in to lead next steps for an RFP timetable.

Committee members asked about the quarterly HMIS figures; staff said last month’s HMIS total was about 3,570 people and that the office will present five‑year trend data at a June 4 forum. District Chief Mark Young later briefed the committee that Metro has met the dollar threshold for a federal disaster declaration related to recent storms; the state will forward county documentation to FEMA and federal representatives should be on the ground for assessments.

No formal council action was taken at the meeting; members were updated and asked for continued coordination across Metro departments and partner agencies.