According to this year’s Vanderbilt poll and years of public testimony, permanently affordable housing and genuine community safety are Nashville residents’ top priorities. Mayor O’Connell says they are his as well: in January 2026, Mayor O’Connell told the press: “I am personally committed to safety and affordability as our top priorities.” Stating a commitment to safety and affordability is one thing. But making unprecedented public investments to fund housing we can stay in and community safety we deserve is another. We need a city budget that treats the housing crisis as the emergency that it is, and that creates safety beyond reactionary policing. Emailing the mayor and other city leaders helps them better understand the urgency of our call for "housing and safety for all."