Folks living in South Nashville tiny home village see their lives improving
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — The Village at Glencliff has 12 tiny homes, where folks experiencing homelessness can get access to medical care and other wrap-around services.
As soon as day breaks, you’ll find Anthony Jackson, Jack, mowing the lawn.
"Then they said it was free, I started trying to do something around here so they made me like the groundskeeper, so I feel valuable now,” says Jackson, who lives in one of the tiny homes.
Jackson has been homeless since 2004 and has been in and out of the Nashville Rescue Mission.
“I hope to stay here forever because I like the people here. People here are really nice. People get along with each other, so it’s just like a community,” says Jackson.
The tiny home villages at Glencliff have been around for almost a year now.
“We are bridge housing, so they stay here until we get them into permanent housing,” says Julia Sutherland, the Executive Director of Village at Glencliff.
Sutherland believes this village is much more than housing.
“When you talk about healthcare and health equity, it’s not just about access to a doctor, it’s about nutritious food, being able to dispose of your waste appropriately, mental health care,” says Sutherland.
Along with lowering residents’ anxieties about having a roof over their heads, Sutherland says it’s important for them to have that sense of community.
“Do you think this village that you’re staying in saved your life in a way?” asks FOX 17 News’ Amanda Chin.
“Yes, it did because I was going down real fast,” says Jackson.
Sutherland and Jackson both hope this village can be used as a replica for others in Nashville.
FOX 17 News asked Metro’s Planning Department if leaders are looking at city-owned property to potentially use to help house the homeless.
A spokesperson says there is a new public property manager working to identify what Metro-owned property would be appropriate for any kind of permanent housing opportunities.
Leaders at the Village at Glencliff are also working on a Phase Two project that’s currently in the works, where they plan to make more of these tiny homes tornado-proof.
They are raising money for the next phase, people can donate by calling or via their website here.
For more reports like this on the High Cost of Homelessness, click here.
