Residents urge big investments in housing, hospitals and eviction defense during budget hearing

Hundreds of Nashville residents and service providers lined up Tuesday evening to press the Metro Council to rethink priorities in the mayor's proposed FY2027 budget, calling for more money for affordable housing, eviction defense, child care and the city hospital that serves its most vulnerable residents.

Carla Christina Contrarus, president of the local SAG-AFTRA chapter, opened extended public testimony with a plea for support of a Nashville Entertainment Commission, saying the industry "creates jobs, drives tourism, supports restaurants, hotels, venues, crews, musicians and countless small businesses." Her remarks framed part of a broader economic argument that several speakers made for targeted investments to keep the creative economy strong.

Why it matters: Speakers from social service agencies, tenant-advocacy coalitions and health care providers argued that investments now would reduce downstream costs to emergency services and shelters, while protecting residents from displacement. Will Connelly of The Contributor told the council a proposed $350,000 to sustain a benefits-access program at Nashville General returns public dollars many times over by increasing disability and benefit access for people experiencing homelessness.

Housing and eviction defense: A chorus of advocates urged the council to fund the Barnes Affordable Housing Trust at $30 million a year, above the mayor's proposed $22 million. "Every Barnes dollar leverages roughly 9–10 more from other sources," said Anton Christensen Galina, a Barnes Fund commissioner, arguing the trust is Nashville's most effective tool to unlock outside investment. The Eviction Right to Counsel coalition asked the council to raise ERTC funding to $9.3 million, citing coalition figures that showed more than 1,000 households served last year and an estimated $4.18 return to the city for every dollar invested. Zayn Jud of Legal Aid said the program prevented eviction judgments in 92% of clients' cases.

Health care and city workers: Scores of Nashville General Hospital employees and union representatives sought full funding for the hospital and a larger cost-of-living adjustment for Metro employees, warning that rising insurance costs and modest raises would leave staff worse off. "A fully funded budget means continued patient care, stronger staffing and raises," said Brenda Gordon, a clinic coordinator at Nashville General.

Child care and family stability: Speakers also urged creation or expansion of child-care funding, with Dr. James Pratt Jr. and others backing a proposed $3 million Child Care Innovation and Family Stability Fund, saying early childhood supports strengthen both families and workforce participation.

What the council will do next: Council members reiterated the budget calendar: a special meeting on the capital improvements budget is set for June 9 and final third reading and votes on the operating budget are scheduled for June 16. Council members said they would weigh the public requests as they consider amendments and wish-list items before the final vote.

No decisions were finalized Tuesday; instead the meeting put a wide set of community priorities on the record and set the timetable for the council's remaining budget deliberations.