June 9, 2023

Candidates for mayor participated in a forum June 7 focused on housing, transportation, and public engagement. A full recording is available above from Youtube. To find answers to specific questions, follow the timestamped run of show below. The links will take you straight to that question, or you can manually fast-forward to that section in the embedded video here. The mayoral forum, focused on public priorities, was co-hosted by Civic Design Center, Neighbor to Neighbor, Transit Alliance, Urban Housing Solutions, and Walk Bike Nashville at Trevecca Nazarene University. Mayoral candidates Vivian Wilhoite, Freddie O'Connell, Matt Wiltshire, Stephanie Johnson, Natisha Brooks, Jim Gingrich, Heidi Campbell, Jeff Yarbro, and Sharon Hurt, participated in the forum. 

Mayoral Forum Run of Show

5:40 | Candidate introductions

24:25 | Lightning round 1

When was the last time you replaced a car trip with an alternate mode of transportation? 

26:40 | Long form 1 

Nashville faces an affordable housing crisis and an underfunded transportation system. These issues are interconnected, so how will you address them together as mayor?* 

31:20 | Long form 2

We’ve had years of planning—around transit, sidewalks, biking, downtown mobility, vision zero (regarding the goal for zero traffic fatalities) and, more recently, affordable housing; what projects will you take immediate action on in year 1?**

37:50 | Lightning round 2

Nashville is the only city of its size without dedicated funding for transit. Are you committed to securing dedicated funding for transit in your first term? 

40:30 | Long form 3

Our organizations believe that the best way to feel safe in your neighborhood is to know your neighbors. In rapidly changing neighborhoods, sometimes there can be a tension between new neighbors and longtime residents. How will your administration create and activate community spaces that cultivate connection?**

46:45 | Long form 4

Nearly 50% of our survey respondents do not believe they have a voice in Nashville’s future growth and development. Consider this while hearing the next question. Diverse neighborhood constituents have been doing the work to identify and address issues in their own communities, like the Love Thy Neighborhood Collective right here in 37210. How are you going to tap this hyperlocal knowledge to inform your administration’s priorities?*

51:25 | Scenario question round

Each candidate answers a question about a Nashville community member’s quality of life concern. Prompt followed by “How would your administration improve this resident’s quality of life?”

1:03:55 | Lightning round 3

In your opinion, does Nashville need to update its zoning code in order to increase housing density? 

1:06:20 | Long form 5

Beyond guaranteeing basic city services, like filling potholes and regular trash collection, in so many words, the Mayor is like the “Chief Urban Planner,” casting the vision for where the city is headed. If you were elected Mayor, what would Nashville physically look like in 8 years?

1:16:10 | Lightning round 4

The campaign has taken you to places that you haven’t been to before or maybe, not in a long time. What’s one thing you have discovered on the trail?

1:19:15 | Candidate closing statements

* Question answered by Wilhoite, O’Connell, Wiltshire, and Johnson

** Question answered by Brooks, Gingrich, Campbell, Yarbro, and Hurt