News Briefs

Affordable Housing Task Force report released

On June 8, the city’s 22-person affordable housing task force released its report that detailed nine high-priority recommendations.

This task force looks to address the fact that 65,000 households (just under half of the total) pay more than 30 percent of their income toward rent or a mortgage, meaning they are cost-burdened.

To avoid a potential 50,000-unit affordable housing shortage by 2030, annual production of units should increase fourfold, from the current average of 1,350 to 5,250 units.

The recommendations are:

• Increasing the Barnes Housing Trust fund to $30 million with reliable revenue.

• Increase capacity in data management, including adding a coordinated global housing strategy.

• Pursue new revenue sources, including small ones, with the hope of having more reliable funding pools for affordable housing.

• Start a Catalyst Fund to try and preserve expiring subsidized units and naturally occurring affordable housing.

• Put to use underutilized public lands for affordable housing.

• Partner with statewide allies to work on solutions.

• Expand Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) to support Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) developments and Non-LIHTC developments to fund longterm housing options with the help of nonprofits and private developers.

• Reduce zoning barriers to making appropriate density that also includes affordable housing.

• Invest in the MDHA Envision re-design of public housing and improve the impact of housing vouchers, with an emphasis on people with very low income and people experiencing homelessness.

“Nashville must be a city that works for everyone,” Mayor Cooper said in the release. “And – in a city that works for everyone – everyone who works here should be able to live here. That includes our teachers, first responders and food service workers – the essential workers who got us through this past year.”

Metro to participate in new overdose spike text notification pilot program

The Metro Public Health Department will now participate in a new text notification pilot program to alert the public of spikes in overdose activity.

MPHD is one of five jurisdictions in the U.S. and the only one in Tennessee that will be part of the pilot project developed by Partnership to End Addiction. The MPHD Opioid/ Overdose Response and Reduction Program continuously monitors data about drug use and outcomes across the community. These text notifications will be used by public health officials in hopes of reaching those who are at risk of suffering an overdose and their families when indications of increases in overdoses are recognized.

High levels of drug overdoses continue to be reported in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. More people have died of a drug overdose in the first 19 weeks of 2021 than in the same time period in 2020, according to a Metro release. The total number of suspected fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses have remained largely in line with 2020 numbers, a year that saw more suspected overdoses and overdose deaths than any prior year. Drug overdoses have risen steadily over the past five years.

The MPHD Opioid/Overdose Response and Reduction Program uses several data sources to detect acute increases in overdoses occurring in the community, including the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program, according to a release.

If an increase is detected, those who have opted in to receive text messages will receive an alert about what was detected. Those who are interested in receiving text updates can text “SPIKE” to 1-855-963-5669 and complete the automatic response form.

Metro offers new vaccine incentives

Mayor John Cooper announced a new “Shots on Goal” vaccination campaign in Nashville.

The campaign will incentivize residents to get their COVID-19 vaccine shot so Nashville can reach the goal of herd immunity — currently around half of Nashville’s population is vaccinated.

Recipients of the vaccine at five pop-up vaccine clinics in June will receive a coupon booklet with 11 different incentives with a total face value of $100. Twenty local businesses and Nashville Soccer Club are participating in the “Shots on Goal” campaign.

To receive a coupon booklet, you must receive your first vaccine shot at one of the pop-ups listed below:

• Saturday, June 26 at Nissan Stadium before/during

Nashville SC match: 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

• Sunday, June 27 at 12 South Taproom 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Deals in the Coupon Booklet:

• One free Bavarian pretzel at

Von Elrod’s Beer Hall and

Kitchen

• $5 in value to spend at

Barista Parlor • One free slice of cake at the

Café at Thistle Farms

• QR code for a discounted ticket to a Nashville Soccer

Club match in June or July

• $5 in free play at Tito’s Playland at Plaza Mariachi

• One free Nashville Style

Sandwich at Edley’s Bar-B-

Que

• One free workout class at one of the following gyms: 80/20 Fitness, Booth Camp,

QNTM Fit Life

• $10 in value to spend at either 8th & Roast or Gram’s

Coffee

• One free beer at one of the following: Tennessee Brew

Works, The Listening Room

Café, Rudy’s Jazz Room,

Third Coast Comedy Club

• One free beer at one of the following: Fleet Street Pub,

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Rock

Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, Sinema