The past decade has seen unprecedented growth in Nashville, and with that has come a significant increase in the cost of living—to the extent that a rising number of residents are facing an uphill climb when it comes to securing affordable housing.
Trevecca alumni Dan (’86) and Melanie (’85) Eaton have a heart to address this need. The couple met at Trevecca as students and married in 1985. They have spent much of their life focusing on ministry efforts, whether it be through affordable housing initiatives, helping to provide for Nashville’s homeless population, supporting students at Trevecca or serving in the mission field overseas.
Since 2020, Dan has worked as director of housing development at Affordable Housing Resources, a Nashville nonprofit dedicated to making homeownership a reality for low- and moderate-income buyers.
“The cost of purchasing and developing land—along with the materials required to build a home—has skyrocketed in Nashville,” Dan explains. “Everything has become so expensive that people’s purchasing power has decreased. When your income is not going up and everything else is, then creating opportunities for affordable housing is challenging. But it’s also critical.”
A recent local study revealed that while average yearly individual earnings increased by 23 percent between 2018 and 2023 for residents in the Nashville metropolitan area, the median home price increased by almost 58 percent. Beyond that, 50 percent of Nashville renters are considered cost-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their household income on housing.
As director of housing development at Affordable Housing Resources, Dan is currently focused on completing construction on a group of townhomes in Madison, Tennessee, and also embarking on a project in East Nashville to build 44 single-bedroom condos that will sell at a more affordable price to qualified buyers.
He’s brought a variety of skills from his previous work as a local contractor and project manager into his current role. This is his second time to work for Affordable Housing Resources; he served there from 1998 to 2005 working at the front desk and then becoming a contract builder and neighborhood revitalization specialist.
“The majority of people build wealth and stability through owning a home,” Dan explains. “The people we work with see it as a blessing from the Lord when they can buy a home for the first time in their family history.”
Ministering in Middle Tennessee and Beyond
When the housing market tanked in 2008, Dan pivoted from working in construction to joining Catholic Charities as a refugee services coordinator. He went on to serve as finance director for Room in the Inn, a Nashville ministry that emphasizes human development and recovery for those who call the streets of Nashville home.
Melanie, in the meantime, worked at Trevecca as an academic advisor to students in adult education programs. She’d felt connected to the University since earning her bachelor’s degree in social work in 1985. Dan had graduated the following year with a bachelor’s degree in both accounting and business administration. He went on to earn an MBA with a focus on economic development from Eastern University in St. David's, Pennsylvania.
The couple dreamed early on of participating in mission work together, but the right opportunity didn’t present itself for a while. Their work in other roles kept them busy until 2016, when Dan was chosen to become the regional finance coordinator for Church of the Nazarene MIssions in Büsingen, Germany.
In this position, he was responsible for the coordination of all financial activities in the Eurasia region, which spans 32 countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
“Because of the size of the region, it felt like a 24/7 job,” Dan says. “But it was also an incredible opportunity to be part of what God is doing across the world.”
Melanie served as the regional secretary and office manager at their home base in Germany. She also focused on member care for new missionaries.
“We stepped out of our comfort zone and the Lord stretched us in ways we couldn’t imagine,” Melanie says. “God used our time in Germany to mentor local leaders and raise up leaders on the field. I believe He used us because we were willing.”
Bringing Hope to Nashvillians
The Eatons spent almost four years in Germany before returning to Nashville, where Dan was presented with the opportunity to work at Affordable Housing Resource again, this time as the director of housing development.
He’s now pulling from his past experiences to do a little of everything-—including obtaining construction financing; working with engineers, architects, government officials and community groups to develop housing projects; managing the construction process with general contractors; and even working with sales personnel and clients to make homeownership a reality for buyers.
To be eligible to purchase or rent a home through Affordable Housing Resources, potential buyers or renters must demonstrate that they fall beneath Area Median Income (AMI) earnings.
Melanie also works for Affordable Housing Resources as the organization’s grant coordinator for rental assistance. Since a temporary moratorium on raising rent during the pandemic was lifted, many renters have faced sudden spikes in their monthly bills that have resulted in a growing number of individuals facing eviction. “On an average day, there could be as many as 125 people in Nashville facing eviction,” Melanie says.
Recently, more renters are receiving notice of their monthly rent increasing by as much as $500 to $700 a month. If their rent comes due and is not paid within 10-15 days of notification, they could face eviction.
Melanie works to try to provide a longer runway for renters to either determine how to afford their current home or find a new, more affordable place to rent. In the spring of 2023, she applied for and was awarded a $500,000 rental assistance grant from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency that she’s been using to help renters avoid eviction. The grant grew to $2 million this past spring and is going fast, Melanie says. She is in the process of applying for additional grant funding.
The couple enjoys working together, with each focusing on a different aspect of bringing hope to Nashvillians. “Melanie’s mission involves bringing relief to those in need, while I focus on providing for individuals through home development,” Dan says.
“Housing is an integral part of people’s lives,” adds Melanie. “We view our work as a fulfillment of what the Lord expects us to do. Our faith is meant to be an active faith. We want to be involved in what God cares about—the homeless and the vulnerable. These populations are near to His heart.”
“It’s a ministry to the least of these,” Melanie continues. “Our office is committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus.”
Dan and Melanie Eaton are 2024 recipients of Trevecca’s T-Award in Ministry for Laypersons. This award is presented to Trevecca alumni who are not in a ministry profession and exhibit a life of devotion to service and ministering to others.
