Dear Mayor Freddie O’Connell,
As a broad coalition of businesses and nonprofits from across this city, we are here to say: When you said you wanted us to stay, we heard you, and we’re eager to see what you put in this year’s budget to make that a reality.
We and our dedicated employees—the very people who uphold Nashville’s distinctive culture—can no longer afford to reside in this city. Our staff is making hard choices daily when they decide to work and live near Nashville or move away. We make the same choices, trying to stay in Nashville as an organization or business, even though we struggle to cover our own housing costs.
You are a mayor who understands hard choices and difficult trade-offs. We can choose to take a bold step in resolving this crisis or buckle under the status quo. As a city, collectively, we have something that individual residents don’t have: public resources. We can issue bonds for the people, utilize our plentiful public lands, and build housing that we can live in and enjoy for years to come.
A few components that are necessary and lacking in the affordable housing stock available currently:
• Permanently affordable with stable rents
• High-quality standards
• Close to public transit
• Sustainable investment that pays for itself over time
We are asking you to take on housing the way you have prioritized transit and fully commit to producing quality housing for us that we can continue to live in decades from now.
It is time to build a Nashville where everyone—regardless of their paycheck—has the opportunity to stay.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned Businesses and Community Organizations:
Stand Up Nashville
Bongo Java
The Cordelle
Colleen Weiss, realtor
Whiskey Water
Apple & Oak
TomKats
Beauty School – A Salon
The Kitchen
Henrietta Red
Flora+ Fauna
Icon Entertainment & Hospitality
Auction House
Lydia Manuel Music
Kim Walker, nanny
KLP
Timothy Ghianni, author & journalist
Steve Ebe Drum Studio
Jon Byrd & Byrd’s Auto Parts
Acme Feed & Seed
The Recycling Dudes
Promo Hounds
Kevin Daugherty Construction & Lawn Care
Paul Worley Productions
Audio Pump
Sweet Music
MUSIC WE STAND
Dozen Bakery
Nashville On The Rocks
Bush Insurance & Financial Services
Parlour 3
Downtown Confidential
All or Nothing Bagels
Duncan Ragsdale creative
Killjoy
Songwriter
Jewish Community ECLC
Brewer Builders
Hannah & Arnold’s Music
Buchanan Arts Center
Smashworth Productions
Cafe 100
Hey Hey Creative
Tomkats Catering
In Good Company
Christos Films
Nashville Hair Girl LLC
Bite Dentistry
Kindred
Tex’s World Famous Bbq
Nashville Foodscapes
Open Table Nashville
Grillshack Fries and Burgers
Roasted Nashville
Lyra
Pinoproductions
Firefly Slumber Parties
Zibaint
OneShop Marketplace and Eats
Bill’s Sandwich Palace
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
All Children Excel
The KRIS Foundation
Nashville Soccer United
Hattie Jane’s Creamery
Babo
Vinyl Tap
Strega
Natalie Montalvo, REALTOR®
Ritual Community Sauna & Wellness Space
Sabell’s
Graze Nashville
Dirty Livin’
Reliquary Perfume
Eastside Alterations LLC
Double N Lawn Care
Adventure Tattoo
Kustom Thrills
Shook About Books
Tamale Lady Nashville
Boomin U
NAACP Nashville Branch
TerevaFeva
Glencliff United Methodist Church
MashUp
Light It Up International LLC
Sharp As It Gets
Southeast Center for Cooperative Development
Fortify
Cë Studio
Healing Is Work Coaching
Nunu’s Catering
Drkmttr Collective
Mayday Salon Cooperative
The BAM Group
Help To Moms
Bonafide Live
The Equity Alliance
Rise and Shine TN
