Nashville has a housing crisis. Shutting down homeless encampments worsens it.
While it may look like progress to shut down a large homeless encampment, these closures fail to address the underlying causes of Nashville's housing crisis.
On March 31, dozens of residents at Old Tent City were handed 60-day eviction notices, signed by the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) and Mayor Freddie O'Connell, stoking fear and anxiety.
Without places like Old Tent City, people without housing don't just disappear. They end up in costly emergency rooms and jails, and they spread out in residential and commercial areas that are difficult for outreach workers to reach.
Connecting a camp's current residents with resources and moving them into what will largely be transitional housing provides relief and life-changing opportunities for those experiencing homelessness today, but it does nothing for the people who will need a place to land tomorrow. "We'll never end homelessness until we stop the flow of people entering into it," says Dr. Beth Shinn, researcher at Vanderbilt.
In February of 2025, 1,106 evictions were filed in Nashville. Across Tennessee, we lack over 3,500 year-round shelter beds for those who need them and 121,000 units of housing for extremely low income renters.
'Closing this camp is a temporary Band-Aid they're thinking is gonna solve things but it ain't,' says 'Mama V,' a resident of Old Tent City. 'Where are people gonna go?'
If we take a closer look at homelessness, the real problem isn't the tents. It's the housing crisis. It's the dire lack of low income housing, abysmal tenant protections, low wages, and the failure to address decades of federal disinvestment in housing and safety nets.
I was first introduced to Old Tent City in 2008 when the number of residents had ballooned to over 100 during the Great Recession. The camp itself, however, has existed since the early 1980s.
The 1980s marked the beginning of mass homelessness in America − a direct result of the Reagan administration's decision to gut funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by 78%, cut food stamps and Medicaid, and dismantle social safety nets and programs.
Opinion: We four diverse Tennesseans unite behind the goal of ending divisive politics
We are standing on the precipice of the second wave of mass homelessness in America. Trump's administration has proposed 50% cuts to HUD which would devastate already underfunded housing programs and homeless services across the nation. Vital programs are already being slashed and Medicaid and Social Security are at risk.
It is irresponsible to close Old Tent City without opening other low-barrier sites. While this camp is far from perfect, it plays a role in downtown and the broader community that we must recognize. Nashville's shelters are over capacity and it takes an average of over 150 days to obtain housing through the Coordinated Entry System.
'We see all the new people coming through,' says Mama V. 'Campsites are being bulldozed everywhere. Where are people going? They come here!'
Instead of using taxpayer dollars to clearcut and fence off public spaces, we need leaders like Mayor O'Connell, OHS Director April Calvin, and City Council members to bolster the resources that already exist and ensure that everyone in our city has a place to get back on their feet.
Nashville doesn't need a new $70 million park where Old Tent City currently stands. We need housing and wrap around services. We need to invest in systems and supports that reduce the number of people who are hitting the streets.
When we address the underlying issues that cause homelessness in the first place, everyone benefits. And when we have enough housing and resources for all, encampments will shrink and close on their own.
Rev. Lindsey Krinks is co-founder of Open Table Nashville, a homeless outreach and advocacy nonprofit, and Housing for All Tennessee, a statewide coalition on housing, homelessness, and tenants' rights. She is the author of "Praying with Our Feet: Pursuing Justice and Healing on the Streets."
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Homeless encampments provide shelter during a housing crisis | Opinion
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As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
