NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As Middle Tennessee continues to recover from the January winter storm, some renters said the financial and emotional toll is far from over — especially for those still dealing with utility outages.
Dakota Braaten lives at Bellevue West Apartments, where he said he and his girlfriend have gone more than a week without running water after the complex shut it off following storm-related damage.
“Can’t cook, can’t do dishes — not being able to go to the restroom has been unfortunate,” Braaten said.
Braaten said he has repeatedly asked management for a timeline on when water service will be restored but has not received clear answers.
“You can’t make accurate life decisions based on no information,” he said.
Despite the ongoing issues, Braaten and his girlfriend still paid their February rent — about $1,600 — a decision tenant advocates said was the right move, even under difficult circumstances.
Elizabeth Leierson with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands said Tennessee law offers renters limited protections when it comes to withholding rent.
“I understand that urge of, ‘My landlord isn’t holding up their end of the deal, so I’m not going to pay my rent,’” Leierson said. “But when you do that, you’re risking your landlord escalating things.”
Leierson said tenants who stop paying rent could quickly find themselves facing eviction proceedings.
“I urge people to talk to a lawyer about their options,” she said. “You might be able to break your lease. You might be able to negotiate with your landlord. But withholding rent as your first step — I don’t recommend it.”
As many renters struggle to balance rent payments with basic necessities, housing advocates warn evictions have continued despite the storm’s aftermath.
The Davidson County Eviction Right to Counsel Coalition recently sent a letter to landlords urging them to temporarily suspend evictions for nonpayment and pause late fees through at least March 1, 2026.
According to the coalition, landlords in Nashville had filed 454 eviction lawsuits between Jan. 22 — when Gov. Bill Lee declared a state of emergency — and Feb. 5. Nearly 300 of those filings came after the storm began in earnest. On the first day courts reopened following the storm, about 75 eviction cases appeared on the docket. Days later, that number climbed past 300, they report.
Advocates said the timing has compounded the hardship for many families. February rent came due as residents were paying for hotel stays, replacing spoiled food, or dealing with lost work hours caused by widespread closures.
While community organizations have stepped in to help — providing transportation to warming centers and coordinating rental assistance through nashvilleresponds.com and United Way’s 211 hotline — advocates said aid takes time to reach those who need it most.
Leierson said requests for help continue to pour in.
“We’re getting a lot of requests for assistance,” she said. “There are so many people who need help right now.”
For Braaten, he hope the water comes back soon. We reached out to Bellevue West Apartments and they had no comment.
“We all paid our rent,” he said. “That rent should be going toward hiring more people and making our place habitable in a timely fashion.”
More information from Legal Aid Society can be found here.
This story was reported by Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
During a week when it seems that frustration is the prevailing sentiment felt across middle Tennessee amid ongoing power outages, Forrest Sanders brings us a story of love, faithfulness and a remarkable family... plus, a little humor on the side. Enjoy!
- Carrie Sharp
