Eviction and homeless assistance in Davidson County.
The Davidson County regional homeless prevention and rehousing program assists families facing a one time emergency. Assistance is arranged for tenants facing an eviction, and they can often apply for government grants or non-monetary support. The homeless can work with a case manager from a Davidson County based charity on moving into permanent housing.
When seeking assistance, the following information is often needed. This is required when applying for a government grant or some other type of support.
- Copy of an eviction notice or proof of residency in a shelter.
- A state of Tennessee picture ID, preferably a driver’s license, that shows residency in Davidson County.
- Whether someone is homeless or low income, they need proof of income received recently and in the past. This also includes any government benefits such as food stamps, cash payments from disability, and any other aid they received.
- Copies of leases, proof of being a citizen or immigration status, job training information and charities may request other information from an applicant.
While one part of rapid rehousing in Davidson County is placing the resident into a shelter, this is not ideal for the individual or society at large. So a charity will combine that temporary housing in cities such as Nashville with extensive case management. This is maybe the only solution to ending a cycle of evictions in the region.
Only after the individual has shown the ability to become stable and after they have met their case management goals will the rehousing process proceed. Some of the conditions required will be the person needs enough income to live in-dependability on their own. The prospective tenant will need to pay their own rent as well as energy bills once the short term financial help from the government ends.
Rehousing can include some support as a motel voucher to last for a new nights in Nashville. Other assistance for clients that have met their case management goals may be partial assistance for a security deposit or placement into job training. Depending on the agency, various programs are administered.
Eviction prevention programs in Davidson County
Before the rapid rehousing process begins, a primary goal is on stopping the eviction in the first place. This will keep the family in their current apartment. While this is always a goal, it can sometimes be challenging to achieve for a variety of reasons. Many individuals just can't afford to continue to live where they are, or they are not fully knowledgeable as to their legal rights.
When possible, using money from the federal government from programs such as Emergency Solution Grants or the Continuum of Care in Davidson County, there may be eviction assistance arranged for the low income tenant. This will of course come with conditions that need to be met. In addition, funds are available on a first come and served basis to those that qualify.
Homelessness prevention in Davidson County is run by non-profit agencies that partner together to keep families living together under one roof. There is a focus on households with children as well as single mothers. The applicant must be living on a low income, but have some source of money coming into the door as eviction prevention is not a “charity” service. The client needs to pay a portion of current and future rent, address the cause of their hardship, and take aggressive actions on self-sufficiency.
These immediate resources available across Davidson County and the city of Nashville are used to stabilize a current housing problem. The funds, or in some cases a loan, can pay for any number for housing expenses, ranging from rent to utility or water bills. The stabilization arranged will provide the client time to find a more meaningful way to stop the eviction.
Homeless prevention will combine grants for everything from rent arrears to utility bills, but there is also a major emphasis on non-monetary support such as case management. The applicant will partner with a staff member to create goals on financial stability.
There is also a priority given to residents facing special situations. This can include women or children that are victims of domestic violence, or a senior citizen that is being evicted and will be homeless. Veterans will also be given priority on any homeless prevention services. In some cases, the eviction may be caused landlord-tenant disputes. Free legal aid can be arranged in those cases.
For more details on all of the options available in Davidson County, an intake line is at 800-318-9335. Specialists will provide more information.
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