Reference no: EM133392576

Left-wing activist, led by Councilman Sean Parker, call for de facto permanent ban on evictions. Councilman Sean Parker by Rod Williams - Nashville has a slew of progressive activist organizations now. We have always had some. In the past, they were more of the civil-rights type or union affiliated. In recent years we have seen a different type. These are more radical and some openly call for socialism. In the last Council elections several of these left-wing groups endorsed and helped elect a much more progressive Metro Council. These activist affiliated with these new organization are probably the same people organizing under different umbrellas, so the number of actual left-wing activist is hard to estimate. A new organization had recently emerged called, "Red Door Collective." It appears to be the same organization as the Middle Tennessee Democratic Socialist of America, simply operating under a different name. This organization has recently called for moratoriums on evictions and utility shutoffs until the unemployment rate falls to its pre-pandemic level. Nashville currently has a ban on evictions and has had for about two months. In about two weeks this ban will expire. "Our demands are as follows: Evictions and utility payments suspended until Davidson County's unemployment rate returns to 2.8%," group spokesman Dylan Lancaster said. "And no retroactive evictions, late fees or penalties of any kind." That is essentially a call for a permanent ban on evictions. It is my understanding that prior to the on-set of the Coronavirus pandemic that our unemployment rate of 2.8% was the lowest it had ever been. Who knows, it may never be that low again. This is asinine. This is a demand that landlords provide free housing. As it stands now, before a landlord successfully evicts a tenant, the tenant has already missed several months of rent payments. It this should be enacted we would see a massive depletion of affordable housing and this would spur rapid gentrification. Landlords would get out of the rental business. As units became empty, landlords would sell the property to developers. Affordable rentals would be replaced by expensive units for sale. The organization is also calling for empty hotel rooms and apartments to be turned over to people experiencing homelessness. Councilman Sean Parker has endorsed the call for a moratorium on evictions and plans to introduce a resolution in the Council to that effect. Sean Parker is the current Metro Nashville City Council for District 5, and is the first Democratic Socialist to sit in the Metro Council. Sean is also a founding member of the Middle TN Democratic Socialists of America chapter, and is actively involved in various left-wing activist groups and campaigns around Davidson County.