Plans for Knoxville Homeless, HUD Affordable Housing funds topic of meeting

KNOXVILLE, TN (January 7, 2021) – The first Annual Action Plan meeting of the City of Knoxville Housing and Neighborhood Development Department will be a virtual public meeting. The meeting will outline how the City plans to use funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address homelessness, affordable housing and non-housing community development in the fiscal year starting July 1, 2021.

An outline of what is planned will be shared on Thursday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m. via Zoom. A draft version of the Plan and input from this meeting is scheduled to be available for public review and comments in early April 2021.

During the meeting, department staff will discuss the development of its first update to the Five Year Consolidated Plan. Participating staffers include; Director of Housing and Neighborhood Development Becky Wade, Community Development Administrator Linda Rust, Special Projects Coordinator Jennifer Searle, KnoxHMIS Project Manager Nate First.

The meeting agenda includes:

• City staff will provide information on the priority goals and objectives that came out of the Consolidated Planning process.
• Staff will provide general information about Community Agency Grants, CARES Act and Program Year 2021-2022 HUD grants, and other local funding availability.
• Staff will provide information on how residents can give input on the development of the Annual Action Plan.
• KnoxHMIS Project Manager Nate First, of the University Tennessee Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (UT SWORPS), will present an analysis of local data on the demand for shelter and affordable housing in Knoxville.
• Participants are invited to join a discussion of unmet needs and gaps in service.

Anyone wishing to join the meeting should use the following information:

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/94651190799?pwd=K0E1VEtEZDZ6cnQzVTQ1THRlRmRadz09

Meeting ID: 946 5119 0799

Passcode: 595556

The recorded video of the proceedings will be available to view at CTVKnox.org.

Comments or questions: If you are unable to attend the virtual meeting, you may send in your comments/questions to Linda Rust at lrust@knoxvilletn.gov or by mail to Linda Rust, City of Knoxville Housing and Neighborhood Development Department, P.O. Box 1631, Knoxville, TN 37901.

Call 865-215-2357 or visit KnoxvilleTN.gov/development for information about the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Development activities and programs.

Disability assistance: If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to attend a City of Knoxville virtual meeting, please contact ADA Coordinator Stephanie Brewer Cook at 865-215-2034 or scook@knoxvilletn.gov no less than 72 business hours (3 business days) prior to the meeting you wish to attend.

Non-English residents: The City of Knoxville is committed to meeting the needs of non-English speaking residents. If you have Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and want to request interpretation services, please contact Title VI Coordinator Tatia M. Harris at tharris@knoxvilletn.gov or 865-215-2831, at least 48 hours (2 days) prior to the meeting.