Community tensions are rising in The Nations, as residents initiate a recall petition against Metro Councilmember Rollin Horton over a controversial rezoning plan. According to WSMV, the group Voices of District 20 filed the petition with concerns that homes will be demolished, and families will be displaced as part of Horton's vision for neighborhood development.
Horton, who advocated for up to 40 housing units per acre, remains steadfast in his belief that the rezoning is a solution to the city's housing crisis. In a statement, he maintained his commitment to making Nashville more affordable and cited his electoral support, claiming, “Nashville is in a housing crisis. I ran for Council to address this issue. I was elected with 74% of the vote to enact policies to make Nashville more affordable. I remain humbled by constituent support. The woman who filed the petition is immune to our housing issue because she—and good for her—lives in a home owned by her parents. The Nations neighborhood plan is a good step in furtherance of the goal, especially for those of us who don’t enjoy the luxuries in life like Ms. Magli." Horton's sentiments were echoed in comments to WSMV, where he elaborated on his surprise at the petition, detailing extensive community engagement over two years.
However, detractors like Lauren Magli, who began the petition, assert that their voices have been ignored. In her interview with News 2, Magli countered Horton's claims about community involvement, saying, “There was no signage, no mailings, nothing other than what was legally required from the planning commission, and by that time, it had already passed first reading.”
The Metro Clerk's office received the recall petition last Friday, and now petitioners have a 30-day window to gather the required signatures for it to proceed, as detailed by FOX 17 News. Horton continued his defense, arguing against the use of a recall for policy disputes, and highlighting the affordability challenge facing the city's residents: “Nashville is too expensive; less than 9% of Nashvillians can afford a typical home in Nashville,” Horton told News 2. The councilmember further emphasized the dire situation for minority communities, with less than 1% of Black and Hispanic families in a position to afford typical local housing.
