NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Marching For Homeless Rights

Marching For Homeless Rights

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The homeless and friends marched through March to draw attention to redevelopment plans they feel pushes homeless people of certain areas.

The march started at Metro Courthouse and proceeded to Dickerson Road.

"In this time of foreclosures, many of us are facing homelessness. We need our city to prioritize poor and working families above luxury development. Despite repeated promises from local government the homeless are left the die in the streets while their demand for housing is ignored" said Clemmie Greenlee, formerly homeless grandmother and organizer with the Power Project, in a news release.

Individuals also gathered at Tom Joy Elementary School to pray for an estimated 1,800 homeless school children in the Nashville area. The march was scheduled to end near a vacant Housing and Urban Development home.

According to Cheri Honkala, national organizer of the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign Nashville has failed to "address the homeless crisis and rise in foreclosures."

March participants advocated for reclaiming government homes as the next step toward securing safe and affordable housing for everyone.

Jeannie Alexander, program director of the Power Project, said Wednesday's takeover of a home of Slayden and Flamingo drives isn't the first time the group has taken over a vacant HUD home.

She said the Power Project has "covertly taken over more than a dozen other vacant houses in the city" and will continue to take additional houses "as long as there are people who do not have homes."

Police went to the North Nashville and had a peaceful standoff near demonstrators outside the home.

The demonstrators said they continue to take over HUD homes as long as people need housing.