Lauren Thomas

The Future of Nashville: Considerations for Nashvillian Gentrification and its Impacts on Housing Equity, Governance, and Sustainable Livability

Started Oct. 11, 2024

Abstract or project description

Once referred to as the humble “Volunteer State,” Tennessee has undergone catalytic changes in recent years—staggering population growth, heavily strained economics on both individual and local levels, and an almost unrecognizable real estate landscape. Whether driven by healthily controlled state growth or classic gentrification, Nashville’s former reputation as a down-to-earth, southern hospitality–woven community has been wholly shaken, replaced by one that reverberates with consumerist pandering and urban modernity. Although the city boasts a rich, dynamic history spanning 229 years, the past 25 have been among the most historically impactful to date. The new millennium ushered in a wave of social change, bringing sharp increases in population and a high influx of new residents. Nashville’s swelling boundaries are often mistaken for normal growth—or even praised—as a safeguard against a stagnant economy and social decline. In reality, uncontrolled expansion has strained the city’s social fabric, producing a status quo marked by soaring housing prices, discriminatory planning policies, racial prejudice, and shifting economic classes. Understanding the trends and causes embedded in Nashville’s recent history since the early 2000s is essential to grasping the city’s current conception of gentrification and identifying solutions to alleviate it. The Future of Nashville: Considerations for Nashvillian Gentrification and its Impacts on Housing Equity, Governance, and Sustainable Livability seeks to examine the historical and social forces that have reshaped Nashville’s fiscal, social, and housing landscapes over the past 25 years, while proposing strategies for meaningful reform. Nashville’s population boom has been fueled by factors including the relocation of natural disaster victims, a relatively affordable cost of living compared to other high-earning cities, and substantial industrial investment. Yet these developments have accelerated gentrification, with housing prices far outpacing wages, and disadvantaged communities receiving less support than Nashville’s designated opportunity zones. As a result, the city now faces an increasingly unstable housing market, deepening social inequities, heightened racial tensions, and widening class divides fueled by a steady influx of wealthy newcomers. Fortunately, if Nashville’s mayor, local residents, advocates for community health, and leaders from other major cities can apply foresight and coordinated planning, the city may yet craft a future that is livable and equitable for all—regardless of race, income, or address—ensuring a home for both current residents and generations to come.