NOAH engages ordinary people in the political and economic decisions affecting their lives, acting as a unified voice for the faith and justice community to act on its values in the public arena.
NOAH members and delegates together decided the key focus issues of the organization. They are: affordable housing, criminal justice, and economic equity.
Affordable Housing
NOAH’s platform on Affordable Housing includes the following:
- Educate the community, voters, and our leaders about the need for affordable housing in Nashville;
- Hold local government officials accountable to preserve the current supply of affordable units and fund and build at least 31,000 additional affordable housing rental units by 2025;
- Ensure that safe, decent, affordable housing is built along proposed transit corridors and in mixed-income neighborhoods;
- Engage with groups, public officials, and others who share our values for equitable, inclusive, and sensible affordable housing solutions.
Additional information on NOAH’s Affordable Housing Task Force is HERE.
The Affordable Housing Task Force Co-Chairs are:
Kay Bowers: [email protected]
Shirley Marks: [email protected]
Criminal Justice
NOAH’s platform on criminal justice includes:
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Reduce the Metro Jail population and General Sessions Docket by 50 percent through alternatives to arrest using evidence-based, problem‑solving mechanisms and restorative-justice options.
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Eliminate racial disparities in police stops, school suspensions, and Juvenile Court referrals.
Additional information on NOAH’s Criminal Justice Task Force is HERE.
The Criminal Justice Working Group Co-Chairs are:
Jane Boram, [email protected]
Shawn Whitsell, [email protected]
Economic Equity & Jobs
NOAH’s platform on economic equity includes:
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Promote transparency in public projects and incentives given to companies, including audits of all incentives that show the amount received and jobs created.
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Institute local hiring and training requirements that fill jobs with formerly underemployed and unemployed Davidson County residents through high-quality training programs, apprenticeships, and existing educational programs.
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Attach tangible and measurable community benefits to projects in high‑poverty areas that will aid low- and middle-income residents through equitable neighborhood economic development (e.g., Community Benefit Agreements, community wealth-building initiatives).
Additional information on NOAH’s Economic Equity Task Force is HERE.
The Economic Equity Task Force Chair is:
Maura-Lee Albert, [email protected]
Education
NOAH’s platform on education includes:
- Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Breaking the school-to-prison pipeline through robust SEL supports (including Restorative Practices) in all schools. Learn more about our Social Emotional Learning Committee, which meets every fourth Thursday of the month at 6 p.m.
- Academics- Increasing racial equity in Advanced Academic programming and pushing for a historically accurate curriculum. Learn more about our Academics Committee, which meets every first Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m.
- State Funding- The state of Tennessee provides woefully inadequate funding to the state’s largest school districts, leaving it up to Metro Nashville to foot the bill for our priorities. Learn more about our State Funding Committee, which meets every Monday at 6:30 p.m.
The Education Task Force Chair is:
Liza Ramage [email protected]
For information contact Brian Zralek ([email protected])
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