Knoxville City Council Workshop on Homelessness and Housing

On March 26, 2026, at 6:00 PM, the Knoxville City Council held a workshop to learn about homelessness services and housing initiatives. Presentations were given by Deputy Mayor Cheryl Ball, Executive Director of the Office of Housing Stability Aaron Reed, Director of Housing and Neighborhood Development Kevin DeBose, and KCDC representative Ben Bentley. The workshop covered homeless service types, data, warming centers, the city's affordable housing fund, KCDC programs, and challenges.

Discussion Items

• Homelessness Overview (Aaron Reed): The Office of Housing Stability (OHS) has accomplished key milestones since 2023, including a homeless summit, governance changes to the Continuum of Care (COC), and a strategic plan. The number of homeless individuals seeking services on an average day nearly doubled from under 1,000 in 2018 to over 1,800 in 2025. Since 2020, homeless service providers have helped 6,357 people find housing. Reed emphasized that the point-in-time count is always an undercount. Duration of homelessness has increased, with many unable to find housing to step into.
• Homeless Service Types: Reed described the full spectrum: case management, street outreach, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing (PSH), shelter, and low-barrier shelter. Outcomes: 84% of clients in HUD-funded rapid rehousing achieved permanent housing; 81% in transitional housing; 95% of PSH clients remained stably housed.
• Coordinated Entry: Federally mandated system categorizes vulnerability: low (14.5%, self-resolvers), medium (43%, need support), high (43%, often chronically homeless). The system matches individuals to appropriate services.
• Warming Centers: OHS facilitates a coordinated effort with faith communities, providing security and support. A new safety protocol was instituted for the 2025-26 season, involving an inter-departmental inspection process with the fire department and a life safety engineer. This past winter, 28 nights of shelter were provided; no one seeking shelter was turned away. Reed noted that insurance is a barrier for non-church facilities. Councilwoman Adams asked about geographic distribution; Reed agreed to create a map and acknowledged concentration along the North Broadway corridor with efforts to decentralize.
• Cooling Centers: Reed stated cold is more dangerous than heat in Knoxville. Some churches may offer cooling centers, and white flag conditions exist for heat at CARM and VMC. No budget is available for security for cooling centers.
• Housing and Neighborhood Development (Kevin DeBose): Knoxville added 20,000 net residents from 2010 to 2024, compared to 4,000 from 1970 to 2010. Only a third of rentals are below $1,000/month. 79% of households earning under $50,000 are cost-burdened. The Affordable Housing Fund has invested $46 million of its $50 million, leveraging approximately $15 per $1 local, producing 3,400 homes. All cash investments benefit those below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), with 65% for those below 60% AMI. DeBose noted that for every dollar the city invests, $15 in other resources is attracted.
• KCDC Programs (Ben Bentley): KCDC manages 4,300 housing choice vouchers and 3,600 owned units across 23 communities. Waiting lists have about 5,000 applicants each. Project-based vouchers are used to create long-term affordable housing in new developments. The Section 8 homeownership program has helped over 200 low-income families buy homes with no foreclosures. Major redevelopments include First Creek at Austin ($14M city investment, over 440 units) and Transforming Western ($26.5M city investment, about 735 units).
• Challenges: Reed identified lack of deeply affordable housing as the primary barrier – many homeless individuals need efficiency units affordable on a disability check. DeBose and Bentley noted rising construction costs and interest rates as headwinds, though softening rents may help. Bentley warned that declining market rents could reduce HUD funding, making deals harder to pencil.
• Tiny Homes and Homeownership: Councilman Grant asked about duplicating the tiny home project Heroes Hill. DeBose supported the model but emphasized that the current approach leverages $15 per $1 local, producing 3,400 units for $55M versus an estimated 700 if all spent on $75K tiny homes. He noted that KCDC has enabled vouchers in micro units. DeBose announced a forthcoming 22-unit homeownership project and a “removing obstacles to homeownership” program to address costs like KUB connections and environmental reviews. Bentley added that rising interest rates have frozen inventory, but prices are beginning to edge down.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes or decisions; the workshop was informational.
• Council members expressed appreciation for the presentations and the work being done.
• Action items: Reed to create a geographic distribution map of shelter resources; DeBose to bring the homeownership project and program to council; continued work on warming center recruitment and transparency.
• Councilman Grant requested improved communication about the Section 8 homeownership voucher program to reach more residents.
• The workshop adjourned around 8:00 PM.