Statewide coalition talks with state leaders Tuesday to combat homelessness and housing issues
Lauryn Lovett
“Housing for All TN” is a group of advocates throughout the state aimed at addressing homelessness, tenants’ rights and affordable housing.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Over 200 people with the coalition are heading to Nashville on Tuesday to meet with state leaders. Their goal is to address housing issues and provide input for future legislation.
Adam Hughes, the East Tennessee organizer with Statewide Organizing for Community Empowerment (SOCM), has worked in housing justice for years. Through the Knoxville Chapter, he’s worked with the city and county to help create the eviction prevention office.
“We see how important right here in Knoxville, which is the city with the fastest growing rents in the United States, how important the housing situation is and how deep the housing crisis We also realized that the city and the county can’t do anything about this alone we need statewide housing solutions,” Hughes said.
Several organizations dealing with the same issues realized that no united voice supported better tenant protections, more affordable housing, or ending homelessness. That’s when “Housing for All TN” was created.
Hughes has seen these issues firsthand from friends and many others in the area. He’s even lost housing twice in four years.
“Once because our landlord wanted to renovate and raise the rent. The second time, the landlord needed that property for something else. It’s one of those difficult situations where you can do everything right. You can pay your rent on time. You can be a good tenant and still shifts in the marketplace are going to exist,” he said.
He said he’s luckier than most. He still had a job and good health, which many people don’t in these situations.
Allie Cohn, SOCM’s secretary, said losing housing is something that can happen to anyone at any time.
“I recently had to have an emergency surgery in the ER. I have health insurance and my part of the bill was over $6000 and that is a make-or-break deal for whether you can pay your rent this month or not or the next month. A lot of people, we’re one medical emergency away from being unhoused,” Cohn said.
She said they’re fighting not only for affordable housing but dignified housing as well. That means people feel safe in their living space.
“It can mean that you’re not having mold overgrowth. It can mean that your structures are stable. As humans, we should have that ability to feel dignified where we are living,” she said.
For them, the solution won’t be simple, but they’re hoping state leaders will work on understanding these issues and working to make legislation that benefits all of Tennessee.
“Everyone deserves to have housing and not attach this deeper meaning to it around morality. That is the goal for spending time in Nashville with our elected officials to make sure that we all understand that housing is a human right,” Cohn said.
Hughes said the coalition hopes to return next year will some sustainable legislation already in the works.
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