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Veteran who lived in a tent urges Davidson County to create task force, wraparound services
Summary
A Navy veteran who spent months unhoused urged the Davidson County commissioners to create a task force, fund landlord incentives and provide wraparound services tailored to veterans, saying housing alone won’t solve veteran homelessness.
Scott Rambo, a Navy veteran who said he has spent months living in a tent, urged the Davidson County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 23 to make veteran homelessness a local priority.
“We should not have a homeless veteran in this county. No way, no how,” Rambo said in a public comment, recounting service aboard submarines and rescue-swimmer training and describing barriers veterans face such as PTSD, physical disabilities and loss of unit structure.
Rambo asked the board to prioritize three initial steps: county-funded wraparound services that link housing with health and employment supports; landlord incentives to reduce perceived risk for private rental; and a county task force to identify what share of the homeless population are veterans and develop a focused, county-specific plan.
Rambo said individual charity and local church efforts offer relief but are insufficient for a systemic response, and urged commissioners to coordinate funding and services so returning service members “find someone’s got your six.”
Commissioners did not take immediate action on Rambo’s proposals during the meeting; public comment on veterans was heard alongside other community concerns. The board acknowledged the remarks and will consider them as part of ongoing discussions about county services and budgeting.
The remarks were offered during the public comment period of the Feb. 23 meeting of the Davidson County Board of Commissioners.
