On October 27, community members from across the greater Nashville area gathered for an event focused on addressing the pressing issue of affordable housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Our Place Nashville, an organization that provides affordable housing to adults with developmental disabilities, the Nashville Mayor’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities, and local advocates and leaders served as hosts for this “Community Conversation.” The event brought together stakeholders, including families, service providers, educators, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience.
A Community Conversation is a structured event, based on the World Café model, designed to bring together residents to brainstorm local solutions for shared challenges. These two-hour events feature small-group discussions in welcoming spaces like coffee shops, libraries, churches, or community centers. Participants sit at small tables to spark dialogue and build new connections.
Meghan Burke, Ph.D.
More than 100 people gathered for the conversation on affordable housing. The evening began with a welcome and opening remarks from Meghan Burke, Ph.D., a Vanderbilt professor of special education and VKC member, who outlined the goals of the event and the structure of the conversation. Jordan Collins, executive director of Our Place Nashville, then followed with a story that highlighted the critical importance of stable housing for adults with IDD, setting the tone for an evening of solution-focused dialogue.
“A question from a concerned parent years ago: ‘What will happen to my loved one when I’m gone?’ sparked a journey that eventually led to the creation of Our Place Nashville, providing housing for hundreds of individuals over the past 10 years, and leading to a stronger Nashville, said Collins. “This kind of event has the potential to sow seeds that can create meaningful change for our community.”
Participants engaged in three rounds of table discussions; each centered around a key question designed to spark ideas and strategies for change. In Round 1, attendees explored community-driven solutions to increase affordable housing. Round 2 challenged participants to consider actionable steps they or their organizations could take. Round 3 focused on collaborative efforts and long-term impact.
With each round, attendees moved to different tables, allowing for a rich exchange of perspectives and ideas. By the end of the evening, many participants had connected with over a dozen others, fostering new relationships and shared commitments.
“Rather than discuss all the obstacles and barriers, participants shared exciting ideas and recommendations to move things forward, said Elise McMillan, Our Place Nashville board member and retired director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center UCEDD. “Community conversations offer such a wonderful opportunity to share innovative ideas.”
The event culminated in a “harvest” session, where the most promising ideas were shared with the full group and captured on a large poster for all to see. These included innovative housing models, policy recommendations, and grassroots initiatives aimed at expanding access and support.
Julie Lounds Taylor, Ph.D.
“It was wonderful to see so many members of our community coming together to discuss ways to improve affordable housing for people with disabilities,” said Julie Lounds Taylor, co-director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center UCEDD. “The conversations were rich and meaningful, and we are excited to use what we have learned toward more affordable housing options. The event was certainly a conversation, but it was more like a call to action.”
Next steps are set as organizers have committed to compiling the notes from each table and the group discussion into a comprehensive report, which will be shared with attendees and posted at vkc.vumc.org in the coming months. The report will also be shared with policymakers at the local and state level.
This article originally appeared in Tennessee Disability Pathfinder’s The Compass newsletter.
Top photo by Jordan Collins, Our Place Nashville.
