August 28, 2019 (Nashville). “31,000 affordable homes? Let them eat cake!” proclaimed Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France before the French Revolution, during performances on the steps of City Hall and inside Metro Council chambers. She was part of a merry band of Nashvillians who called attention to our city’s growing affordable housing crisis. On Tuesday, the last meeting of Metro Council before newly-elected councilmembers take office, community members gathered to pass out cupcakes with #31000Homes and #HousingForAll flags, perform street theater, and call attention to housing inequality raging in Nashville. (More on our live video and news coverage!)

As the group of assembled formerly loyal subjects explained to their queen, played by Aftyn Behn of Indivisible TN, Nashville has plenty of housing, but very little of it is affordable for the majority of us. In just 8 years, rental prices have nearly doubled, corporate landlords have bought thousands of properties, and elected leaderships’ responses have been too little too late. 

The People’s Alliance for Transit, Housing and Employment launched the Movement for 31,000 Affordable Homes earlier this month to draw a line in the sand and demand that the mayor and metro council members put the people’s needs first for a change. In 2017, the Office of the Mayor estimated Nashville would need 31,000 affordable homes by 2025. Since then, gentrification has accelerated even more rapidly than projected.

Mayor Briley’s “Under One Roof” plan is still 25,000 units short. Mayoral candidate John Cooper’s plan is light on numbers and heavy on relying on real estate profiteers to build affordable housing. Their plans are a dead end for the 50% of renters who are already struggling to pay rent. They do precious little to stem the bleeding. It’s time for the people to demand what the people need, not settle for crumbs and empty promises. 

We urge you to join the Movement for 31,000 Affordable Homes now! There’s a place for everyone in this movement.