Tennessean, March 6, 2020: Nashville comes together after tornado, but some worry accelerating gentrification will push them out
Natural disasters tested the city before. Tornadoes in 1998 and a flood in 2010 bulldozed ways of life and ushered in profound change.
Their aftermath reshaped and revitalized Nashville in ways that are both dazzling and problematic. Redevelopment enlivened the city and thrust it onto the national stage. But some residents were overlooked or pushed out of their homes by a wave of wealth and new construction.
“There’s a real risk they won’t be able to afford repairs or afford to be without work,” [Ana] Nettles said. “In one fell swoop, the character and history that is so essential to the black experience in Nashville could be gone.”
Councilwoman Delishia Porterfield said she wants to see the energy of volunteers channeled into the work of protecting residents from predatory developers.
Community meetings are being organized in the coming days to give people information about their options.
“We saw what happened before, and we are aware of the situation so we’re trying to provide resources so that the community is not preyed on,” Porterfield said. “This is what community is about.”
