The federal government has awarded Nashville $3.54 million as part of a national program to combat youth homelessness.
The Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency said Friday the money will help fund the construction of 40 apartments in Marathon Village dedicated to permanent housing for youth ages 18-24.
Nashville has had a framework to end youth homelessness for the past two years, which was cited as a reason for the city receiving the one-time grant. The framework calls for programs to teach life skills to youth that will keep them from falling back into homelessness.
“One other piece for some of our young people experiencing homelessness is figuring out where we can reconnect them to education opportunities — to college, community college and also to employment opportunities,” said Anne Havard, from the Mayor’s Office of Resilience.
A planning committee will decide how to distribute the grant over the coming weeks.
Nashville has identified 1,065 youth who have accessed shelter services between 2015 and 2016, but the real number is assumed to be much higher.
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