{Null_Results}: Apparent $86K Procurement Violation Furnished Developer's Building with Wayfair— OHS's Placements Still Got Evicted
Within an average of 7 months, at least ten people were evicted from the affordable housing facility through court order after the facility received funding from Metro Nashville.
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When Wallace Studios opened its doors in 2024, the 130-unit1 affordable housing complex on Wallace Road was supposed to represent a solution to Nashville’s homelessness crisis. Developer Adam Rosenberg’s property has since collected over $90,000 in city funds specifically designed to house the city’s most vulnerable residents, plus another $86k of furnishings provided by the city. But court records reveal a disturbing pattern: at least 33 eviction proceedings have been filed against tenants in the complex’s first year alone. And at least 10 of those received subsidies from the city to move into the facility.
OHS didn’t simply financially assist in placing people at Wallace Studios, it helped the facility come online by providing some or all of its furnishings across its 130 units. Invoices show the Office of Homeless Services spent $86,103.61 for furniture for 97 Wallace on February 29, 2024. The expense was billed against Nashville’ landlord engagement funds.
A search of the Metro Nashville contract database yielded no contract with Wayfair, with any Metro department. The procurement threshold for Metro Nashville departments is $25,000. Yet somehow OHS was able to purchase nearly $90k from an online retailer without going through any form of procurement process. A review of OHS’s R12 accounting data reveals this invoice was indeed processed.
53902026.503150.0.R.R221699.30216.053.0.0.0 11324829 Invoice 20049217 11324829 20049217 WAYFAIR LLC 3/1/2024 3/1/2024 OHS $86,103.61
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