It’s been in the news for months. Nashville is in an affordable housing crisis. Service workers, teachers, police officers, and firefighters are being forced to move out of Davidson County to find housing they can afford. Many of us have secure housing, yet are feeling the consequences through understaffed emergency services, reduced hours in restaurants and entertainment venues, teacher shortages and more.

West End Synagogue’s Social Action Committee will be holding a forum, open to all Nashvillians, “The Affordable Housing Crisis: It Affects Us All,” on Thursday, February 2. at 7 p.m. at the synagogue, 3810 West End Avenue.

“It is not a simple cut-and-dry issue,” said Kitty Calhoon, WES Social Action Committee Chair, “The forum will give a clear picture of the need, what is being done and the challenges to moving forward. Attendees will receive takeaway suggestions for actions they can take to help improve the affordable housing outlook in Nashville.”\

Charles Sisk, WPLN Radio News Director, will moderate a panel including:

• Burkley Allen, Metro Councilperson at Large and member of the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Task Force;

• Kay Bowers, Chair of NOAH’s (Nashville Organized for Action and Hope) Affordable Housing Task Force, a a member of the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Task Force and the former Executive Director of New Level Community Development Corp.;

• Paulette Coleman, former Chair of NOAH’s Affordable Housing Task Force and member of various task forces and study groups on affordable housing, including the Mayor's Affordable Housing Task Force and Commissioner the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency.

At press time, confirmation from a leader in the hospitality industry is expected.

In addition, there will be personal stories from people who are facing the crisis head on.

Interfaith congregations, community organization members, real estate agents, Metro Council Members, state representatives and Davidson County residents are invited to attend. There will be ample time for questions to the panelists at the end of the program.

A dessert reception will follow the forum.

For additional information, contact Kitty Calhoon, Social Action Committee Chair, at kcalhoon103@aol.com; Judy Saks, committee member, at mountvu@att.net; office@westendsyn.org; or www.westendsyn.org.