BERRY HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) — A bridge in Berry Hill, often used by homeless people seeking shelter, is being fenced off. The practice could become more commonplace across Tennessee if a new bill passes the House.
It would require the Tennessee Department of Transportation to clear out homeless encampments on state property within 30 days of a citizen complaint.
On the corner of Wedgewood Avenue and 8th Avenue South, a man who wished to remain anonymous told News 2 that after undergoing emergency heart surgery, he found himself homeless with ongoing hospital bills.
"Some people think the homeless people are all bums and drink beer and do drugs, but there are good homeless people — just in a bad bind," he said.
He went on to say how he was able to find shelter at Room In The Inn and was eventually able to afford a hotel room. He added that staying off the streets at night is his biggest priority.
"It's not safe for anybody to sleep outside — period; [not under a] bridge, on the sidewalk [or] on a bench," he expressed. "If you can get in, I would advise everybody to get in."
Under a bill moving through the legislature, TDOT could throw away a homeless person's belongings if they are left on state property. That removed property would be stored for at least 90 days.
"[The state should] give people at least 60 to 90 days instead of 30 before campsites are cleared or work with each location on a unique timeline based on their needs and resources," minister and co-founder of Open Table Nashville, Lindsey Krinks, said. "This allows outreach workers like us to establish relationships, order documents [and] begin housing paperwork."
The bill passed in the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee and the Senate floor. On Tuesday, the bill was discussed in the House Transportation Subcommittee.
"This bill never purports to attempt to attempt to solve the homeless problem — it won't," Representative Tom Leatherwood, (R-Arlington) said. "But what we are trying to do, in a small way, is attempt to improve someone's lot in life even if by a little bit."
However, some Nashville nonprofits and other representatives said it fails to consider the capacity of organizations that provide those resources.
"I have major concerns with this," Representative Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) said. "We as a state have criminalized homelessness."
In Berry Hill, the state has already started fencing off the bridge and overpass at Interstate 65, which is a spot where some in the homeless community gather. Meanwhile, Leatherwood has argued that the bill would protect the homeless community from traffic and offer direct access to local resources.
"What we are trying to do is help move the homeless from these more dangerous locations to less dangerous locations," Leatherwood said.
The man on 8th Avenue South told News 2 that when it comes to homelessness, the biggest thing is respect.
"It's about sticking together and showing everyone that is around us in the houses and stuff respect," he told News 2.