Donelson Neighbors Decry Homeless Encampment Trash Piles

Residents say litter and hazardous waste are accumulating near the Stones River Greenway.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Residents in the Donelson neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee are raising concerns about growing piles of trash near the Stones River Greenway, which they say are being caused by nearby homeless encampments. Local resident Jane Schnelle and her volunteer group have been regularly cleaning up the area, but the trash keeps returning within a week. Schnelle has reported the issues to city authorities, but says the encampment under a bridge on the greenway is illegal and needs to be addressed.

Why it matters

The accumulating trash and hazardous waste near the popular Stones River Greenway poses public health and safety risks for the surrounding community. While residents express compassion for the unhoused, they feel the encampments are damaging the environment and quality of life in the neighborhood.

The details

Volunteer Jane Schnelle and her group have collected nearly seven bags of trash from the Donelson area in recent cleanups, including beer cans, needles, and other waste near a homeless encampment under a bridge on the Stones River Greenway. Schnelle says the trash keeps returning within a week, and she has reported the issues to city authorities, but the encampment remains. She argues the encampment is illegal on state and city property, and that the trash is becoming a hazard.

  • Schnelle's volunteer group has been conducting regular litter cleanups in the Donelson, Hermitage, and Old Hickory Boulevard areas.
  • The trash piles have been accumulating near the Stones River Greenway for several weeks.

The players

Jane Schnelle

A local resident who organizes volunteer litter cleanups in the Donelson area.

Metro Nashville Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that is looking into the homeless encampment issue.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's illegal to camp on state property, period. So that encampment under the bridge should be gone. It's illegal to camp on a Metro Greenway, so I don't understand why that takes so long.”

— Jane Schnelle, Local Resident

“The unhoused, what they're doing to our community is, I think, atrocious; they're just creating trash in so many areas. And I think people might be a little bit more compassionate if they didn't do that. They can trash an area so fast that the trash becomes somewhat hazardous.”

— Jane Schnelle, Local Resident

What’s next

The Metro Nashville Police Department's Hermitage Precinct is looking into the homeless encampment and trash issues in the Donelson area.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the complex challenges of addressing homelessness and environmental degradation in urban communities. While residents express concern over the trash and safety hazards, there are also calls for more compassionate solutions to support the unhoused population.