A historic church in North Nashville is taking on gentrification with a $40 million community development project aimed at keeping longtime residents in their homes and rebuilding a neighborhood fractured by decades of displacement.
The House of God Church, which planted its roots in the area in 1924 when it was a thriving Black middle-class community, is launching Elevate North Nashville, a new community development corporation. The initiative begins with a $1.5 million investment to build two duplexes.
“So what is the church all about? It’s about fulfilling the need of the community,” said Michael Randolph, Elevate North Nashville project leader…