WSMV Channel 4 Former homeless man fights Metro eviction

Former homeless man fights Metro eviction

A man who got a second chance to leave a life of homelessness behind says his big chance is slipping away over paperwork.

After the total loss of the 2010 Nashville flood came an act of mercy, as Metro Nashville offered one year of free Section 8 housing to 37 Tent City residents like Reginald Watson.

These days, Watson is back to work, back to the feel of a key in a door and back to self-worth.

But he is also almost back to homeless.

"Like everybody else, you want to go to work, and once you get off work, you come home and want to put a key in the door. I don't want to unzip a tent, you know. I finally made it to living standards," Watson said.

Watson has two jobs, never misses work and his one promise to keep his rent was to sign up for Nashville Electric Service in his name within 60 days.

The Metro Development and Housing Agency says they notified him when he didn't provide proof, so they stopped his one year of free rent after seven months.

Now, Watson is being evicted.

"Mr. Watson could have put it in the mail, he could have his landlord or an agent fax it to us. We never received it," said Pat Clark, with MDHA rental assistance.

And so Watson's voucher for free housing is gone, given to another family. And even though there is proof Watson did sign up for NES, the paperwork was not submitted on time and now it is too late.

"At this point the voucher has expired and we can't offer rental assistance at this time," Clark said.

"They gave me this voucher to help me get on my feet. And now they try and take it away from me. It's like somebody played a cruel trick on me," Watson said.

Watson says he didn't know he had to provide proof until after his voucher was gone. MDHA says he was notified before.

If MDHA wins that dispute, Watson goes to number 638 on a housing waiting list that dates back to 2008.

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