Today, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville-Davidson County Office of Homeless Services (OHS) proudly unveils the results of the 2024 Point-in-Time Count, marking a significant milestone in our community’s ongoing battle against homelessness.
The PIT Count is a one-night count of sheltered and unsheltered persons experiencing homelessness, which was held on the evening of Jan. 25, 2024, and the early morning hours of Jan. 26, 2024. More than 100 volunteers from 27 agencies and universities took part in this year’s Count. Nashville's emergency shelters operated their shelter programs and counted people staying with them during that night. The Metro overflow shelter was not opened on the night of the Count, and Nashville’s cold weather plan was not activated. For the unsheltered count, groups of volunteers went out overnight and canvassed Davidson County to count those sleeping outdoors and in their vehicles.
On the night of January 25, Nashville saw a decrease in literal homelessness, with 2094 individuals experiencing homelessness, showcasing a 1.6% decrease from January 2023. This progress is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the OHS team and community partners.
“In a high growth city, OHS continues to secure creative housing solutions and innovative resources for our unhoused Nashville Neighbors,” expressed Director April Calvin. Recently, in collaboration with a new developer, OHS furnished 131 Studio Homes and fostered the award of a substantial $4 million in ARPA Affordable Housing Gap Loan funding. Remaining housing focused, these efforts will significantly contribute to the provision of affordable housing for Nashville's unhoused neighbors, marking a pivotal step in the right direction but more is needed to address this national concern. "While it's great to see a slight decrease in the number of unhoused Nashvillians, we know we have more work to do. Soon, the city will open its first public permanent supportive housing facility, The Strobel Center, and we've spent years working on improving our Homeless Management Information System so that we would have better overall real-time data about people experiencing homelessness in Nashville.
We remain unwavering in our commitment to connecting anyone experiencing homelessness with the resources they need to find stable housing”, stated Mayor O’Connell. “As a community, I am hopeful, that we will continue to utilize a comprehensive and compassionate approach to addressing homelessness in Davidson County. It's crucial to prioritize both funding and supportive services to help individuals and families secure and sustain permanent housing. The housing-first model, coupled with a focus on target universalism, can provide a solid foundation for ensuring everyone has access to safe and stable housing”, stated Jaha Martin, Homelessness Planning Council Chairwoman.
Furthermore, our commitment to data integration and community investment remains unwavering. Through negotiations with the Nashville Rescue Mission, we have embarked on syncing accurate data that sheds light on the true extent of homelessness in our city. This vital information fuels our collective drive to push for more cohesive collaboration and comprehensive services.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires Continuum of Care (CoC) organizations across the country to conduct a Count each year during the last 10 days of January. As the CoC Collaborative Applicant in Nashville, The Office of Homeless Services conducts the Count in collaboration with Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Mental Health Cooperative, and a host of other partners.
Additional key findings from the 2024 Count include:
- 67 % of the adult population experiencing homelessness on the night of the Count were men.
- 42 % of the adult population experiencing homelessness on the night of the Count were Black or African American.
- 78 % of unsheltered individuals reported having a disability.
- 59 % of unsheltered people surveyed are experiencing chronic homelessness.
- 48 % of unsheltered individuals reported mental health needs.
The Count is an essential tool for understanding the scope of homelessness. While it provides valuable insights, it is important to recognize its limitations. The numbers represent a point-in-time snapshot and do not reflect the true extent of homelessness over an entire year.
In the graphic below, we break down who is included in the Count.
Types of Homelessness in the graphic:
Items that have a checkmark are included in the PIT Count. Items that have an X are not included in the PIT Count.
- Inner circle, Unsheltered homelessness: People who are sleeping outdoors, in a car, or other place not meant for habitation with a checkmark
- Second level circle, Literal homelessness: Unsheltered plus people sleeping in emergency shelter or transitional housing with a checkmark
- Third level circle, HUD definitions of homelessness: Literal (category 1) plus people fleeing domestic violence with no access to safe housing (category 4) with an X
- Forth level circle, Broadest definition of homelessness: HUD definition plus people who are doubled up, living in hotels, or in institutions like hospitals and jails with an X
Unsheltered: This category includes individuals experiencing homelessness who were observed by volunteer teams on the evening of Jan. 25, 2024, and early morning hours of Jan. 26, 2024.
Literally Homeless: These are individuals using beds specifically designated for those experiencing homelessness at emergency shelter programs like the Nashville Rescue Mission, Room in The Inn, and others.
HUD’s Definition of Homelessness: This category encompasses people sleeping in transitional housing beds dedicated to those experiencing homelessness, including select programs at the Nashville Rescue Mission, OSDTN, Room in The Inn, The Mary Parrish Center and The Salvation Army.
It is important to note that the Count does not capture everyone who falls under the broadest definition of homelessness. For example, it does not include individuals and families defined as homeless under federal statutes other than HUD For example, the U.S. Department of Education employs a broader definition of homelessness that includes children in families who are doubled up or living in area motels without a voucher due to economic hardship or housing loss.
Here’s How You Can Help
Volunteer with a community partner who serves people experiencing homelessness. To find information about homeless services providers, visit Where to Turn in Nashville web site.
To learn more about the work of the Office of Homeless Services visit the Office of Homeless Services web site
Office of Homeless Services needs landlords willing to accept Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. This program provides low-income individuals and families an opportunity to find affordable housing in the private market. If you are a landlord and would like more information about the program, please email [email protected].
The Low Barrier Housing Collective is a collaboration among support service providers, landlords and community members in Nashville dedicated to ending homelessness. Based at the Office of Homeless Services, the Collective connects individuals and families experiencing homelessness to private market units that offer flexible screening criteria in exchange for benefits designed to stimulate landlord participation and mitigate risk for the property owner. For more information, visit the Low Barrier Housing Collective web site.
Join a listserv of nearly 700 interested agencies and individuals who want to end homelessness or attend a meeting of the Nashville Coalition for the Homeless and the CoC. For more information, email [email protected].
About the Nashville Office of Homeless Services
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville-Davidson County Office of Homeless Services is dedicated to addressing homelessness through comprehensive, community-driven initiatives. With a focus on collaboration and innovation, we strive to create lasting solutions that empower individuals and transform lives. Connect with us on social media at: Office of Homeless Services on X, Office of Homeless Services on Facebook