🏘️ Nashville’s ‘stale’ housing market

🏫 Bill Clarifies School Threat Laws

Last school year, nearly four times as many Metro Nashville Public Schools students were arrested for threats of violence as the previous year, largely due to changes in Tennessee law requiring school officials to report more threats, and mandating expulsion and felony charges for the students involved. A proposed state bill would clarify that school officials will only be legally required to report threats of mass violence they deem credible. The bill’s sponsors say current reporting laws have led many students to face needlessly harsh punishment, including students with disabilities. [Nashville Banner]

• The House and Senate both unanimously passed the bill yesterday. It now goes to Gov. Bill Lee's desk to be signed. [NewsChannel 5]
• The personal cost: This Mt. Juliet High School student with autism was arrested and detained for more than 24 hours after he shared a post on Instagram of a rumored school threat, urging his classmates to stay safe. In a similar incident, a 12-year-old MNPS student was arrested after sharing a screenshot of a school threat on social media. [🔐 The Tennessean; ProPublica]
• More context: Many children who wind up in court have a disability. More than two-thirds of kids detained in a juvenile detention facility have ADHD, dyslexia, a learning disability, or autism. [🔐 The Tennessean]

🏛️ Meet the Indie Candidate Running for Governor

Lauren Pinkston is a 7th-generation Tennessean who’s running as an independent candidate for Tennessee’s open gubernatorial seat. On today’s podcast, she talks about affordability, immigration, data centers, and why she wants to “humanize” our legislature. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

• Listen to our interviews with two more gubernatorial candidates: Local musician Adam “Ditch” Kurtz, and Memphis public defender Jerri Green. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• You’ll get a chance to vote for your favorite candidates this summer. [📰 City Cast Nashville]

🏘️ Nashville’s ‘Stale’ Housing Market

Sellers outnumber buyers in the housing market for the first time since 2013, with 54.8% of listings in Nashville staying on the market for at least 60 days, and 62% of homebuyers paying less than the list price. While this mirrors a national trend, Nashville ranks in the top ten metros with “stale” listings. [WKRN]

🏗️ Will the East Bank Scrapyard Get Rezoned?

At tonight’s meeting, Metro councilmembers will consider rezoning the former East Bank scrapyard for mixed-use development. Though recommended for approval by the Planning Commission and Councilmember Jacob Kupin, who represents the area, the rezoning effort isn’t without pushback. East Nashville Councilmember Clay Capp wants to ensure the property meshes with nearby neighborhoods, and worries the area will become another “tourist party,” with massive traffic. [🔐 Nashville Business Journal]

• More development plans for the East Bank [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🥾 How Safe Are Our Greenways?

Free to Move is a greenway safety initiative launched by the family and friends of Alyssa Lokits, the woman who was murdered on the Mill Creek Greenway in 2024. Lokits’ family is also advocating for a standard park safety plan, a bill sponsored by local state Sen. Jeff Yarbro. The bill is currently being considered in committees. [🔐 The Tennessean]

• Free to Move is hosting greenway safety audits twice a month. The next one is April 9. You can find out more and register to volunteer here. [Free to Move]