Nonprofit Builds Affordable Neighborhood for Seniors After Historic Displacement

A Nashville Community Responds to Senior Housing Crisis

NORTH NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Amidst a longstanding affordable housing crisis that has acutely impacted senior citizens, a family in Nashville, Tennessee, has decided to take matters into their own hands. Following the heartbreaking displacement of their elderly grandmother, the clan spearheaded the creation of a nonprofit organization, AWAKE Nashville. Committed to supporting vulnerable senior citizens, the nonprofit has now embarked on a mission to construct an affordable neighborhood, exclusively for seniors.

Establishing a New Benchmark for Senior Rental Housing

AWAKE Nashville is more than just a symbol of community unity. It represents the collective endeavor to provide a secure, stable, and affordable neighborhood for those most in need of it — seniors on limited incomes. Northern Nashville is home to many older adults who have been spending above 30% of their income on housing. This situation is something the nonprofit intends to drastically change with this significant initiative.

A Neighborhood Designed with Seniors in Mind

In the summer of 2024, AWAKE Nashville received an allocation of $3 million from a local housing trust fund to pioneer the creation of a modern, yet homelike senior residential community. This affordable neighborhood on the 29-hundred block of Brick Church Pike will feature cozy cottages, all built on a single level, sporting welcoming front porches. The communal fabric of the locality would further be enriched with a community garden and a comprehensive resource center on the property.

“I love the concept of front porches because I like to talk to people and I love to talk to my neighbors,”

Norma Upshaw, a lively 82-year-old resident, expressed her delight at the prospect of the upcoming residential setup.

The Ripple Effects of Gentrification

Upshaw, a former resident of Nashville, knows first-hand the difficulties of searching for a new home on a fixed income. In a tale that echoes many others, she was compelled to move a couple of years ago when her former apartment complex was sold to developers. Left without viable options in Nashville, she had to relocate to Smyrna.

“It was very hard. At that time I did drive, but driving in traffic at my age is not good,” Upshaw confided.

The deeply challenging experience mobilized her family towards the creation of AWAKE Nashville. Subsequently, they became leading advocates for affordable independent senior housing, working diligently towards increasing affordable housing stock. In a significant community upliftment step, future tenants will never pay more than 30% of their income on rent.

Community Growth on the Horizon

Construction for this first-of-its-kind senior-friendly neighborhood is projected to start by early 2025. While applications are not being accepted at the moment, hopeful future residents can keep a lookout for updates on the application timeline and eligibility criteria.