Your Daily Guide

🏘️ Nashville’s New Home Sharing Program for Seniors

Nashville has partnered with a program called Nesterly to pair seniors with younger residents through home sharing. On today’s podcast, Nesterly’s Nashville community liaison Kay Bowers explains how the program works, and why it could be part of the solution to our city’s affordable housing crisis. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🧑‍⚖️ Judge Sets Redistricting Hearing Date

A federal judge will consider whether a temporary restraining order should be placed on Tennessee’s new congressional district maps at a May 20 hearing. The plaintiffs argue that the judge needs to make a decision by this Friday, which is the extended qualifying date for congressional candidates to declare their intent to run. In 2022, Tennessee argued in a legal challenge of Nashville’s redistricting that changing district maps late in the election process would cause “irreparable harm.” [Tennessee Lookout]

• The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a third lawsuit against the redistricting, on behalf of three Memphis voters. [WKRN]
• In case you missed it: How the Republican supermajority redistricted Tennessee. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🅿️ Meeting Addresses Parking Frustrations

The Metro Traffic and Parking Commission held a packed meeting on Monday to discuss parking solutions in 12 South. The commission decided to defer voting on a proposed parking structure for 60 days for additional public meetings. One resident described congestion in the neighborhood as “Green Hills Mall just before Christmas.” But business owners also expressed frustration at losing clientele due to a lack of parking. [Fox 17]

• You can find upcoming commission meetings here, though the additional community meetings have yet to be scheduled. [Nashville.gov]

🚗 Police Can Now Issue Waymo Tickets

State lawmakers passed a bill this legislative session allowing police departments to issue traffic citations to Waymo’s driverless vehicles. While Waymos haven’t caused any crashes in Nashville, there have been several traffic snafus, such as the vehicles blocking lanes. [NewsChannel 5]

• In the 11 cities where Waymo is active, safety and traffic concerns have been prevalent. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• Waymo is recalling more than 3,700 of its vehicles due to a software issue that could cause cars to drive on flooded roads. [NewsChannel 5]

On May 14, former Team USA Paralympian and Nashville local Joseph Gray is speaking to the Tennessee School for the Blind’s athletic team about sports and disability. Gray is also the founder of Sight School, a nonprofit focused on blind awareness, inclusion, accessibility, and community impact. I had a chance to chat with Gray ahead of his speech about what it was like growing up blind in Nashville, and how the city can improve accessibility.

What was it like growing up blind in Nashville?

“Growing up blind in Nashville was fun in a lot of ways. My roots are really in Antioch. I was always around family, always around people, and I loved being active and outside. At the same time, it wasn’t always easy. I was born with oculocutaneous albinism, which means I have albinism that affects my skin, hair, and eyes, and it also comes with visual impairment and light sensitivity. Growing up, I felt like a sore thumb sticking out, especially since I’m African American, and I didn’t look like any of my friends and family that were in my community.

"Tennessee School for the Blind gave me confidence, community, and perspective. It helped me understand that even though I was living in a sighted world, I didn’t need to lose myself trying to fit into it. I had to define my own lane and my own version of success. Seeing other blind and visually impaired students compete, lead, and live fully changed how I saw myself, and that stayed with me.”

How can Nashville ensure that TSB students can access everything our city has to offer?

“I think the first step is understanding that access is about a lot more than just whether someone can physically get into a space. Real access means transportation, information, opportunity, confidence, and belonging. It means blind students should be able to move through Nashville knowing they are expected in the room, not treated like an afterthought once they arrive.

“That looks like stronger pathways into internships, employment, athletics, recreation, arts, and community events. It looks like organizations building relationships with schools like TSB and not waiting to be asked. It looks like making information accessible from the start, thinking through mobility and transportation, and creating spaces where blind students can participate with dignity instead of being over helped or underestimated.

“More than anything, it takes expectation. If Nashville really wants blind students to access everything the city has to offer, then the city has to stop seeing them only through the lens of limitation or inspiration. They are young people with talent, ambition, personality, and something to contribute right now. When a city raises its expectations, opens more doors, and is intentional about inclusion, blind students don’t just gain access to Nashville. Nashville becomes better because of their full participation.”