Mayor David Briley’s Office of Housing has announced that Nashville has been selected to serve as an inaugural member of PolicyLink’s All-in Cities Anti-Displacement Policy Network. Displacement occurs when residents are forced to leave a neighborhood because they can no longer afford the escalating rents or property taxes.

Without conscientious efforts to address the needs of new and old residents in Nashville neighborhoods, the city’s growth could dilute the culture of our most diverse communities and push lower-income households into the periphery of the city. As Nashville faces projects that will shape the future of its neighborhoods, an anti-displacement strategy will help to ensure that growth is inclusive.

“As a member of the All-in Cities Anti-Displacement Policy Network, Nashville is saying to the world: ‘We are growing, but we are not changing.’ We are keeping our livable neighborhoods, our small-city appeal, and our one-of-a-kind mix of cultures and working to make sure that our growth benefits all residents,” said Mayor Briley. “I’m grateful to our applicant partners, the Metro Human Relations Commission, HomesForAll Nashville, Democracy Nashville, Nashville Organized for Hope and Action, Music City Riders United, and Workers Dignity.”

As a member of the Anti-Displacement Policy Network, Nashville will be equipped with data, policy ideas and best practices that will lead to the strategic development and tracking of solutions to displacement to ensure that Nashville’s neighborhoods continue to thrive.

Comprised of both government agencies and grassroots organizations, the Nashville team has a unique ability to work directly with impacted comm-unities to identify key challenges that impact community retention and creative solutions.

“Through participation in this anti-displacement policy network, our team will work to create a strategy to protect the residents, neighborhoods, and cultural assets in Nashville,” said Adriane Harris, director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing. “We believe our participation will drive the launch of a city-wide campaign around education and empowerment so that not only are we developing policies at the city level, but residents are equipped with the knowledge and resources to stay in their homes and protect their community.”

Involvement in this cohort is especially relevant as Nashville faces a critically important vote on a transportation system that can better connect residents to jobs and services throughout the county. The Mayor’s Transit and Affordability Taskforce identified displacement as a key concern and urged leaders to protect residents along transit corridors and in surrounding comm-unities.

Nashville joins Austin, Texas; Boston, Mass.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Denver, Col.; Philadelphia, Penn.; Portland, Ore.; San José, Calif.; Santa Fe, N.M.; and Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minn., in this inaugural cohort.