James R. Brown Place
Over the years, I’ve written hundreds of newsletters turned blog post, but this one – this might be the most important and most vulnerable letter I write – and hopefully it leaves you with a sense of purpose.
In 2013, Dream Streets began with a simple idea – find needs that people have and find a way to meet them. With a staff of two and a dedicated group of volunteers, a small food bank, church service, a couple chickens, and a building in a neighborhood that had been forgotten for so long that it didn't even have a neighborhood name on a map. Surrounded by the Nations and Sylvan Park, 40th and Clifton was just a drive through to get where you were actually going – no one gave it a second thought.
Since then, we have gone through many storms and days we thought we would close our doors. During 2018-2020 we even entered into a season of transition when our actual doors were sold out from under us. It was the hardest thing any of us had done – there we were with no building, all our staff crammed into a closet for an office, every program outside in the elements, and a food ministry running in an old church basement.
But we kept going...
I think the only reason we kept going was because of you.
Because of the small group of single girls who were the lifeline to doing all of our community events; you grew up and started families this past decade. Because you, the silent donor, who felt God tug at your heart to give a check of just the amount we needed. Because of James, who suddenly found himself on the sidewalk with his clothing in a trash bag asking “But where do I go?”
When we were driving the bus on two wheels during those years, we had no idea that we were being prepared for such a time as this. Watching the city we love grow rapidly, while simultaneously watching people we love become forced to move because of ever-increasing rental prices. In 2020, hundreds of people came to us needing help finding an affordable place to live. We would, like most people, refer them to a shelter or MDHA, but the answers they got back were heartbreaking. “It’s not safe for my kids at the shelter.. the waitlist is 6 months long…I don’t have the first and last month's rent. I was evicted and now can’t get accepted anywhere.”
Let me pause and ask you to think over this question: Where would you go?
If your house burned down, or the apartment you live in was shut down, where would you go? To a family member or neighbors house, a hotel, buy a new house?
What if none of those were an option… where would you go?
If you have a job like our residents do, and you have a good rental history, and you have some savings, you could just apply for an apartment and get a temporary place to live, right? What if you can't afford that place – you put your name on a list for an affordable housing complex? The waitlist is six months long and requires at least a year of clear rental history. And in that time, you end up living in your car, having your kids shower at school, and you wash up at a gas station every day before work…because there was no time and nowhere to go.
This is why we opened the James R Brown Transitional Housing Facility. So that, when we get those calls and families ask “Where are we supposed to live?” we can say, “Right here, with us.”
Here are a few facts about our transitional housing facility and the people who live there:
Our facility is not government funded, so our team has to raise all the money privately. This allows us to structure our program with the freedom needed to promote empowerment and sustained life change.
All tenants have to be employed or be actively looking for a job. They also have to be working towards debt reduction and savings, budgeting, and credit repair to remain in good standing for tenancy.
We provide a counselor, free of charge, to help every resident process the trauma they’ve experienced in life and obtain the coping skills needed to positively move forward.
We have case managers for every single resident that meet with them at least twice per month to provide accountability and direction.
Tenants can stay with us for up to a year to have the time, support, and safe haven they need to stop the cycle of crisis once and for all.
The number of applications we receive rises each and every day. We are always full and always having to turn people away.
Many parents with full time jobs and kids live in their car before coming to us.
And last, but most important, we stand on the belief that everyone deserves to have a roof over their head and a safe place to call home– this is the driving force behind our entire housing operation.
If you are still reading this, Dream Streets needs your help.
Our goal this past year was to have each room sponsored so that every person had a safe place to live, and most importantly time, to get ready for what's next. Each room costs $12,000 per year to operate, and we have 47 rooms. This breaks down to $1000 per month for each housing unit, far below the fair market value of one bedroom apartments in the area. Included in that cost is $900 for base rent plus an estimated $100 in utility and maintenance costs.
While rental income makes up part of this monthly requirement, we are committed to not charging residents more than 30% of their income, no matter how little that is. We work with them during their tenancy to get the tools, education, counseling, and basic resources needed to increase their income and attain the financial literacy tools to achieve independence when they leave us. As of right now, we don't have enough rooms sponsored to be able to keep this building after our fiscal year ends in June.
We are looking for individuals, companies, and/or families who want to invest in changing someone's whole world– giving them another chance to find success. Without your help, every individual and family in our housing facility will be facing the same challenge they were when they came to us– without the resources, education, and housing they need to stay afloat.
Here is what I am asking: Would you consider sponsoring a room or a portion of one? Would you also consider asking your company to be a part of this life changing program?
In 12 years of operation, this will be the first year we have not made our budget by our fiscal year end. This is unfortunately going to be the case for many non-profits across the country, but for sure in Nashville. Now more than ever, we need your help.
Dream Streets family, we can't do this without YOU!
TJ Fletcher
Executive Director
DONATION OPTIONS
Check mailed to DREAM STREETS, PO BOX 92456, NASHVILLE, TN 37209
Online via button below
Venmo (@dreamstreetstn)
or Stock transfers are available, please email Katie Crisp at katie@dreamstreeststn.com to set up
Check out our interview on WSMV4 where you'll hear from TJ Fletcher and one of
our tenants on how crucial this program is for the Nashville Community.
Click the button below to watch:
Want to learn more about our the James R Brown Place and why it is so important?
Head to the Transitional Housing page
on our website for more information:
QUESTIONS?
Please email TJ Fletcher, CEO, at tj@dreamstreetstn.com
or Katie Crisp, CDO, at katie@dreamstreetstn.com