NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — After hours of public comment and heated discussion between council members, the Metro Council passed multiple bills aimed at improving housing options in the city on their second reading.

The housing bills will have a big impact on how much density will be allowed across Nashville.

The changes aim to meet Nashville's affordable housing crisis by allowing more diversity in housing options developed. The bills also address height restrictions and detached dwelling units—or DADUs—like converted garages or in-law suites.

What the bills don't do is automatically rezone anyone's property. Any rezoning requests will still have to go through the normal process.

While the bills passed on second reading at the Tuesday, Nov. 4, Metro Council meeting, they still need to pass on a third and final reading before they become law. That reading will take place in December.

But there was no shortage of opinions on the bills from residents on both sides of the issue during the council meeting this week.

"Right now, we mostly just have single family homes, and market pressure makes that larger and more expensive and out of reach for most families looking to buy their first home right now," one resident in favor of the proposals said.

"It is so naive to think that you're going to take a house in a single-family neighborhood and tear it down and make multifamily residences on it and it become affordable housing," a resident opposed to the bills said. "That's crazy. They're going to be half a million, million dollar units."

Before the bills are heard on their third and final reading, council members have time to make amendments to the proposals.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/middle-tn-neighborhood-news/metro-council-passes-zoning-bills-on-second-reading/