Getahn Ward

USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee

The Village at Glencliff will provide bridge housing for people experiencing homelessness.

At least 87 homeless people died locally last year, said Open Table Nashville Executive Director Rev. Ingrid McIntyre.

The micro homes will range in size from 200 square feet to 400 square feet with running water and electricity.

Some Glencliff area residents had questions about security and quality of the planned micro homes.

A community of 20 micro homes that will provide bridge housing for homeless people is planned on the campus of Glencliff United Methodist Church in south Nashville.

Open Table Nashville, a nonprofit group that advocates for low-income, affordable housing, is leading efforts to create the Village at Glencliff in partnership with the United Methodist Church.

"Too many of our friends have died on the streets," Open Table Nashville Executive Director Rev. Ingrid McIntyre said, adding that at least 87 homeless people died locally last year. "Hopefully, this place will help lower that number by providing community and programs that will get the most vulnerable into permanent housing."

The 20 micro homes are planned for a small portion of Glencliff United Methodist Church's six-acre property at 2901 Glencliff Road. They will range in size from 220 square feet for a one-person micro home to up to 400 square feet for largest units for couples. The permanent structures to be built on slabs and in line with Metro Codes will each have running water, electricity, a kitchen and bathroom.

During a community meeting on Sunday, some Glencliff area residents had questions, including about safety and security and quality of the planned micro homes.

"The additional concern was the lack of communication with the surrounding neighbors in that area," said Lee Kebler, vice president of the Woodbine Neighborhood Association.

Kebler said some nearby neighbors feel like the micro homes project is being forced on them.

"The United Methodist Church and the financially powerful board members of Open Table Nashville could surely find a more efficient location for this worthy project," said Bill Durkin, a longtime Glencliff area resident.

McIntyre explained during a Monday news conference at the church that she thinks sharing the project details with concerned neighbors helped. She hopes to continue to keep the community up-to-date as it unfolds.

"Certainly not everybody is going to be as excited as we are," McIntyre said. "But we are definitely looking forward to engaging the community, partnering with the community, making sure that we have a strong partnership with Glencliff United Methodist Church and moving forward, just keeping everybody in the loop."

The Cal Turner Family Foundation is among donors thus far to the Village at Glencliff with additional fundraising underway, McIntyre said. "We have 12 sponsors of homes so far and are still looking for 10 home sponsors," she said.

​A full-time care coordinator will be onsite at the Village at Glencliff working to provide residents with mental and physical health care and to help them with eventually securing permanent housing, McIntyre said. "It was our dream to have this and it's finally coming to fruition," she added.

Last year alone, Open Table Nashville moved 113 people into permanent housing.

The Metro Zoning Administrator approved the project under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act and the Tennessee Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Survey work and other parts of the construction process needs to be completed before ground can be broken.

Centric Architecture is designing the Village at Glencliff.

Reporter Holly Meyer contributed to this report.

Reach Getahn Ward at gward@tennessean.com or 615-726-5968 and on Twitter @getahn.