As Nashville moves from emergency response to long-term recovery following the late January ice storm, Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Metro departments are rolling out a series of cost-saving measures aimed at easing the financial burden on residents affected by the storm.
With immediate safety concerns largely resolved, Mayor O’Connell allowed the local state of emergency for Davidson County to expire on February 8. As part of the city’s ongoing recovery strategy, the ‘Restore Nashville’ campaign is now ramping up efforts focused on lowering out-of-pocket recovery costs while expanding access to assistance and volunteer support.
Through coordination with Metro departments and local partners, the Mayor’s Office is pursuing several initiatives designed to directly support Nashvillians impacted by storm-related damage:
The Mayor’s Office is partnering with the Davidson County Assessor of Property to enact legislation allowing property values to be reassessed for homes that were partially or completely destroyed during the storm.
Metro Water Services, at the mayor’s direction, is seeking authorization from the Metro Council to provide an across-the-board credit to water bills. Legislation is expected to be filed this week. In addition, Metro Water Services will offer payment plans for customers unable to pay their full bill, suspending late fees—and won’t disconnect service during February. Customers who experienced burst pipes or leaks resulting in higher bills may request a leak adjustment by contacting Metro Water Services Customer Care at 615-862-4600 by providing repair details.
Metro Codes also plans to suspend permit fees associated with rebuilding after the storm. Legislation authorizing this action is expected to be filed with the Metro Council this week.
Nashville Electric Service is implementing multiple relief measures to assist customers facing financial strain due to storm-related hardships. NES has suspended all service disconnections and late fees through June and will offer unlimited payment arrangements for all customers through December, a significant change from current policy. NES will also enhance customer communication to ensure residents receive individualized assistance. In addition, the NES Board has approved a $1 million donation to the Winter Storm Recovery Fund.
“This is the worst ice storm in modern Nashville history and, like any disaster, it has resulted in unforeseen costs for Nashvillians,” Mayor O’Connell said. “Restore Nashville is focused on restoring people beyond restoring power. We’re offering multiple types of support, from help with water bills and property taxes to fee relief and housing assistance, and creating access points so residents can easily connect with available resources.”
To support residents directly, local disaster assistance centers opened February 9 at Hadley Park Community Center and Smith Springs Community Center. The centers will operate Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm, and on weekends from 9 am to 3 pm.
As of February 9, the Winter Storm Recovery Fund had received more than $1.2 million in donations. On February 5, the United Way of Greater Nashville disbursed an additional $260,000 to nonprofit partners providing storm-related assistance. Funding allocations included housing support, food assistance, and disaster supplies distributed through organizations such as Rooftop Foundation, The Hope Station, Conexion Americas, NeedLink Nashville, The Branch of Nashville, and One Generation Away, among others.
As of Feb. 9, 1,582 cases had been submitted through the United Way’s needs tracker. The most common unmet needs continue to be financial assistance, generators, and tree and debris removal. Residents with unmet needs may visit <nashvilleresponds.com> and click the ‘Share Needs’ button to complete the tracker. Assistance completing the form is also available by calling 2-1-1.
Volunteers with Hands On are canvassing neighborhoods most heavily impacted by the storm to identify residents with unmet needs. Additional volunteers are needed for door-to-door outreach and weekend debris cleanup events. Those interested in volunteering can visit <HON.org>.
