East Nashvillians take great pride in their part of town, but many worry they won’t be able to live there much longer.
“I moved here when it was affordable and will be forced out as a senior citizen,” said Elizabeth Bush, a longtime Lockeland Springs resident. “Young people love it here because they think it’s hip, but they have no appreciation for its history.”
Because of increasing concerns that booming property values are causing East Nashville to lose its character and force out residents, Tennessee Alliance for Progress is sponsoring a series of neighborhood meetings to discuss affordable housing.
According to the most recent data from the Metro Planning Commission, Lockeland Springs property values have increased 300 percent — from $65,000 to $262,000 — between 1999 and 2013. In contrast, African Americans represented 18 percent of the Lockeland Springs population in 1999. By 2013, that number dropped to 6 percent. (continue reading at the Tennessean)