West Nashville residents launch group to fight what they call ‘a zombie idea’ about housing

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — West Nashville residents say they are fighting zombies. Not “The Walking Dead” kind, but what they call “a zombie idea” about housing and zoning.

Advocates in West Nashville have launched D23 – Save Our Nashville Neighborhood. It’s a grassroots effort to stop these zoning changes. Chris Remke, the organization’s president, has called the rezoning, which would allow for more multi-family housing, “zombie-ish.”

“If it’s a bad idea and people aren’t stopping long enough to look at it, we consider it an idea that is a bit ‘zombie-ish’ in that you just can’t make it go away in the conversation,” Remke told News 2.

He said that time and time again, it has been proven that multi-family housing in affluent neighborhoods does not drive down prices, yet the idea won’t go away — like a zombie.

“What the most current studies are showing is that the affordability is improving affordability for the above middle income families, almost in its entirety,” Remke said. “The service to very low to middle-income families is almost immeasurable.”

Resident Antoinette Olesen is fighting the rezoning; she has lived in West Nashville for two decades.

“This is a zombie idea,” Olesen said. “Zombies are coming, people!”

Advocates for the rezoning change have said that it would allow developers to create multi-family units within single family homes and drive down prices. However, Olesen expressed concern about the strain this sort of housing will put on infrastructure and the natural environment.

“The wildlife and the space here is important,” Olesen added. “This would allow people to take down trees and put up a triplex right next door to me.”

Metro Council is expected to take up the rezoning issue in March. Remke hopes that between now and then, everyone does their homework.

“Let’s make sure it’s a good idea first,” Remke said.

District 23 Councilmember Thom Druffel will be holding a public meeting on this topic at 6:30 p.m. on September 5 at Brook Hollow Baptist Church. Anyone who wants to get involved with Save Our Nashville Neighborhood can email the organization.

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