02/13/2026
For so long now the work of homeless outreach, especially for people with animals, has felt like we have been given a tablespoon to empty out the Cumberland River. An impossible task and one that Nashville has failed at miserably. Not because so many people and other nonprofits we work alongside of, it isn’t because we are not out there but the task we have willingly taken on has never had any commitment from our local government. Now any slams on Mayor Freddie will be deleted. Or our Metro Council Members. Because I’ve seen the same failings in all mayors and all council members for the entire 25 years I’ve been in this field. This failure is bigger than our current local government members, although they do share a failure to act with their predecessors.
But the last 2-3 years has gotten tragically worse and 2025 was unbearable. We’ve criminalized poverty and homelessness. We’ve outlawed encampments. Yet rents have gone up to where an efficiency at a place like Lexington Gardens, go on and do a Google search, they command $1,000 or more a month. I mean who knows, they have “creative” rent pricing. And I’ve seen plenty of camps I would live at before I would Lexington Gardens. I mean someone from our Codes Department has to be on their payroll is all I got to say. But we cannot act as if they are the only slumlords in town. We have more slumlords than tall skinnies for crying out loud.
I know I will catch hell for this post but I will stand the heat. Because the people and animals I serve mean so much more to me than praise for staying silent. And I am tired of the emails, text messages, social media messages and calls pleading for a place to go. With their children and animals or for just them. Women fleeing an abusive relationship, unable to report because if they are going to be on the street they will have no protection against an abuser. Or because they may have some damn stupid warrant for failure to appear or trespassing and they are just caught between a true rock and hard place.
But I cannot offer them anything because there is nowhere to go. Our sanctuary is full and if we could house 500 it would still be full. Everyone is trying to find housing for the people they serve but finding a winning lottery ticket is much easier. The obstacles are brutal. Your misdemeanors or felonies. Your animals. Your past. Your bad credit. Your lack of a job, as if you even could find a job and keep it when you don’t even know where you will be sleeping on any given night. Your struggles with addictions or mental illnesses or both combined.
I am so tired of working so hard to help people survive when survival is all we can offer them. Here is a tent but be careful where you put it up at, homelessness is illegal don’t you know.
This is not a tsunami that nonprofits can address without an equal commitment from Metro and our state. The “Mission”? Don’t even get me started. Suffice it to say having more money than God does not equal action. I’m not saying they do nothing to contribute but I will say what they do is not in proportion to what they could do, and do it better.
I know so many who hit the streets every day and work so hard to try and pull people up, and we are walking the concrete with our peers. But we do not have what is needed from our local and state government and we cannot do it alone. And yes, we will have to raise taxes to address this epidemic of homelessness and evictions every damn day and rents that no one can afford because we cannot continue to reach out with nothing to offer but an illegal tent.
If I’ve made anyone angry then good. We need to be angry. Because too many are slumped against the side of a building tonight, perhaps with their dog or their spouse and children. And we have so little to offer them. I am so past tired of hearing the sobs on the other end of calls, of hearing the pain in their voice.
I spoke to a friend in the field tonight, we have actions we could take almost immediately if our Mayor and Council would listen and act. But that if has been silent for too long and the tragedy has reached tsunami levels of need. When I am hearing people break down and cry because they do not know where to go I’ll be honest, I hang up angry. I did not enter this field only to have so little to offer.
So to our Mayor and Council, I’m throwing this tragedy ball into your court with force and righteous anger. Either truly join this battle or perhaps we just need to start giving folks your number to call.
Laurie Green
Southern Alliance for People & Animal Welfare - Safpaw
safpawnashville@gmail.com
