Old Tent City, an encampment near Hermitage Avenue that sits under an overpass on I-24, has undergone several iterations of residents over the years. As folks get shuffled out of one encampment or another, or as people move on, the landscape of the area changes. PHOTOS BY ALVINE
Residents living in six structures on the property were first given a Sept. 16 deadline to gather their belongings and vacate their homes. The Tennessee Department of Transportation and Metro Nashville plan to demolish the buildings. PHOTOS BY ALVINE
After requesting a 90-day extension to vacate, residents were granted a nine-day extension. Demolition is now planned for Sept. 25 on the property between Hermitage Avenue and the Cumberland River. [Since publication, Mayor Freddie O’Connell has granted another extension. Demolition is scheduled to take place on Oct. 15 and Oct. 30.] PHOTOS BY ALVINE
Six residents wrote a petition asking for more time, some accommodations for their needs in the transition and a plan for where they will go when the encampment is closed. The letter reads, in part, “There is always going to be a need for a place people can go until they get housing. A lot of us have pets and there are lots of couples here. Service organizations also need centralized places to meet with people. Tent City has existed since the early 1980s. All the other big camps have been shut down, shelters are full, and it’s nearly impossible to find housing that we can afford, especially housing that will take our pets.” PHOTOS BY ALVINE