Overflowing Trash and Bug Infestations Plague Downtown Nashville Luxury Rentals

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) — A mounting trash crisis is not only jeopardizing the reputation of a downtown luxury apartment building—it’s also leaving short-term rental hosts scrambling to salvage their businesses.

Jammie Slack and his wife began leasing two units at the Burnham in April. Located at the corner of Rep. John Lewis Way South and Peabody Street, the Burnham offers six floors of high-end apartments, many of which are used for Airbnb-style vacation rentals. With rent as high as $4,000 per unit, tenants expected a certain standard of living. But by mid-July, that expectation came crashing down.

Slack says the building's trash compactor broke down, and dumpsters became overwhelmed. Garbage soon piled high in trash rooms and spilled into common areas. “I have never in my life experienced anything like this,” Slack said. “For what we’re paying, this is unacceptable.”

Worse yet, the garbage led to swarms of bugs—flies, ants, and gnats infesting hallways, drains, and even apartments. Guest complaints mounted. Refunds were issued. Reviews plummeted.

Another tenant, Cameron Mitchell, who leases 18 units for short-term stays, shared the same frustrations. “We had guests cancel their stays and demand refunds. The flies were coming out of the drains. It’s disgusting, and it's killing our business,” she said.

Both Slack and Mitchell say they tried repeatedly to contact the property management, Brookfield Properties, but received little help beyond a vague email acknowledging the issue and promising new dumpsters. Even after Metro Property Standards got involved and issued an abatement notice on July 27 for health and sanitation violations, progress remained slow.

Slack has since cut his losses—hiring movers at his own expense and placing everything into storage. “Let them come after me for breaking the lease,” he said. “They didn’t uphold their end of the agreement.”

Mitchell isn’t as lucky. She and her husband have over $100,000 tied up in furnishing and preparing their units. “We’ve put everything into this. If it doesn’t change soon, we could lose it all.”

While this story highlights a failure in property management, it also underscores a broader truth: reliable waste collection is not a luxury—it’s essential.

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