Cleanup begins at Tennessee homeless camp
By Joylyn Bukovac
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — The homeless camp along Cabot Drive and Charlotte Pike is in the process of being cleared out.
Metro Water Services told News4 it has a pumping station there and are constructing an equalization tank of the Cabot/Charlotte property. The perimeter is being physically secured with a fence to protect the community’s water and sewer assets.
The Mayor’s Office said crews plan to clean up most of the debris on Tuesday. Outreach workers have been trying to relocate the people camping out on Cabot Drive.
Even though the city is in the process of cleaning the land and putting up a fence, some community members are hoping to see local leaders take steps to help end homelessness.
“There’s carts and human waste and mattresses and tires – all of the stuff you’d see at a dump are being put down into the Cumberland River behind this encampment,” said Mary Byrd, Vice President of Reclaim Brookmeade Park. “Our greenway and park are not available to us. Our businesses are suffering; our community is suffering.”
Katy Rogers said she’s lived in Nashville for years. She knows people who were living at the homeless camp on Cabot Drive. They were told weeks ago they had to leave.
“I’ve known a number of these people for some time. Some of them, they are addicted, and they want to stay addicted. Let’s face it, you know, that’s a real tough cycle to break,” said Rogers, who believes the addictions is one of the restrictions that is keeping them from staying in a shelter. “People who are addicted do not like rules. The other one that I heard is that families get broken up, and they don’t like that.”
Rogers said building more safe, affordable housing options might encourage some people to change their way of living.
“A lot of people are putting pressure on Mayor (John Cooper) to come and solve this problem, but it’s not a one-man job, it has to be a community that takes care of these folks in getting them where they need to go,” said Rogers. “I appreciate all the efforts that are going on but mainly we need more affordable housing.”
Some people have already noticed more people making their way to Brookmeade Park from the camp that’s being cleaned up.
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