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A 2021-study by Brie Diamond et al. on “Criminalizing Homelessness” found that criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor that is often used “to maintain control over contested spaces,” is disproportionately used against people experiencing homelessness.
In October 2022, Metro Council approved four resolutions to allocate a total of $50 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to address homelessness and strengthen our local Housing Crisis Resolution System.
The tide in homelessness has been turning in 2025 at the national level, after a 40 percent increase in national Point-in-Time (PIT) homelessness counts between 2016 and 2024. Nashville, however, has not been able to turn their upward trajectory around just yet.
Ultimately, the ones who suffer and lose in the midst of these clashes over policy matters are the people who are trying to survive on the streets and in shelters.
Over the past few weeks, there have been some relevant homelessness updates in Nashville.
How Childhood Homelessness Impacts a Person and Community for Life
The math is simple: Metro has invested millions of dollars into homelessness since 2022 at unprecedented levels for Nashville. Yet overall homelessness during that time has increased by 14 percent.
“When you are in survival mode 24/7 for months or years, the likelihood of developing mental health issues is extremely high — if not to say likely.”
“The biggest affordability issue in this country is a lack of a living minimum wage combined with a lack of access to affordable housing.”
