Issues regarding Office of Homeless Services

This discussion topic was requested by Council Member Ginny Welsch concerning issues regarding the Office of Homeless Services.

From CM Welsch: 

I am calling for a change in leadership at the Office of Homeless Services.  

Yesterday at the Public Health & Safety committee meeting, we learned that OHS is not fully functioning, despite having $50M in ARP funds at their disposal, and an (over)staffed office funded with $6 million per year by Metro, and leadership is non-existent. (see the link to the meeting, at mark :43)

OHS admitted yesterday that they are deliberately keeping beds open that could be filled right now with the unhoused, and get people indoors. Instead they are holding those beds for people displaced by encampment closures. Specifically only 30 out of about 110 rooms are currently occupied at one of their transitional housing places. Why are residents in specific encampments prioritized over others who are unhoused?  I believe for propaganda. It makes for good media to close an encampment, and get the unhoused out of sight, out of mind, but it doesn’t make for good policy.   Holding beds intentionally open is unconscionable, and it’s not in alignment with best practices or a Housing First approach that OHS has been claiming to promote.

We also learned yesterday that the Salvation Army, the recipient of almost one third of Metro dollars designated for support services for the homeless, is pulling out of their contract to provide those services. But are they really?  When you look at the contract, it does not say what leadership at Metro says it says. It is poorly written, and the scope of work is unclear.  But even worse is that OHS could not immediately start the process of contracting with other community providers to step in and fill the gap. That process takes time, but if there was a real coordinated system in place at OHS, that process would already be moving forward.  (see contracts linked below)

The structures at Old Tent City were demolished yesterday (October 15,) and OHS says they gave residents there ample time to prepare. But the notice they gave to residents had the wrong date for demolition listed. According to the notice, demolition is actually set for October 25.  OHS has 34 staff, and no one bothered to proofread the notice? (see notice linked below)

These are just the tip of the iceberg. OHS is attempting to consolidate power over the community, and is building bureaucracy within its office to that end. OHS, and it appears Metro, is trying to build a top-down system, with OHS alone calling the shots on how homelessness is addressed in Nashville. Not only will that not work, it will cause even more chaos within the community.  Trust in Metro leadership is virtually non-existent within the community right now, as OHS leadership keeps pointing the finger and blame at nonprofits they are supposed to collaborate with, rather than listening and working with them.  And the people whose lives are on the line are the ones suffering for it.

Part of this falls back on Metro council. Where has true oversight been? These are Metro dollars we are talking about. We are the entity at Metro that needs to provide oversight. We have for too long taken the word of OHS and its ever-rosy assessment of the work they are doing. It has to stop, or we will have burned through $50M and accomplished nothing of lastly import. That is unacceptable.

I call again for the leadership at OHS to be removed, either by resignation, reassignment, or termination.

Link to Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/live/bioPccjHICQ?si=Pzb5jMFjbQjRNoD7&t=2505

Grant Contract Exhibit 1.pdf 

Grant Contract Exhibit 2.pdf  

OHS OTC Notice