The City of Knoxville will host a public meeting on Jan. 28, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the City’s Public Works Service Center, 3131 Morris Avenue, to present information and data gathered during the community engagement process regarding Knoxville's housing and neighborhood development needs. Staff will also briefly describe the process for agencies to apply for Year One (2025-2026) funding. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on draft funding priorities. The meeting will also be held virtually via Zoom. The login link will be available on this page on Jan. 27.

The Consolidated Plan helps the City assess its affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions, and make data-driven, place-based investment decisions. The Consolidated Plan serves as the framework for a community-wide dialogue to identify housing and community development priorities that align and focus funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Community Planning and Development (CPD) formula block grant programs.

The 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan will set funding priorities for an expected $15 million-plus (over five years) of HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships, and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) dollars for affordable housing, homelessness, economic development, and other community development activities. The plan is due to HUD on May 15, 2025. For information about the HUD funds that Knoxville receives, click here. 



Community engagement is an important part of the development of the Consolidated Plan. The process includes consultation with community-based groups and participation from Knoxville residents. The City is engaging the community, both in the process of developing and reviewing the proposed Consolidated Plan, and as partners and stakeholders in the implementation of CPD programs. By consulting and collaborating with other public and private entities, the City can align and coordinate community development programs with a range of other plans, programs and resources to achieve greater impact. 

Since August 2024, the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Development department has engaged hundreds of Knoxville residents and community groups to better understand community needs and identify gaps in activities that impact low- and moderate-income residents.  

The community engagement process involves four phases: 

    March - Sept. 2024: The City of Knoxville engaged residents in the development of a  Fair Housing Equity Plan. The information learned through the equity planning process informs the development of this five-year strategic plan. 

    Aug. - Oct. 2024: The public engagement campaign kick-off was held Aug. 1, 2024, including asking what Knoxville needs. 



The City launched a community needs survey, in English and Spanish, and held two public meetings asking people to think about what Knoxville needs in terms of HUD-eligible activities, including: Affordable Housing, Preventing and Ending Homelessness, Economic Development, Neighborhood Revitalization, Public Infrastructure Improvements and Public Services. 
  
The City consulted with community-based organizations to ascertain the needs of low- and moderate-income people, including: African American Equity Restoration Task Force, Affordable Housing interest group, Bridge Refugee Services, Construction Career Ladder Roundtable, Knox Pride, Knoxville Asian Festival, Knoxville Leadership Foundation KnoxWorx, Knoxville Legal Aid, Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, Knoxville-Knox County Homeless Coalition, KUB, Mayor’s Community Empowerment Roundtable, Mayor’s Council on Disability Issues (CODI), McNabb Center, Neighborhood Advisory Council, and Youth Action Board.  

More than 600 people were involved in this phase of the process: 540 people completed surveys; 128 people were consulted through a focus group/questionnaire, and 23 people attended a public meeting in September 2024. Along with local data about community needs, the information gained through the community engagement process will help to identify priorities for HUD funding over the five years. 
  
    January 2025: The City is hosting a public meeting to share the results of and data from the Community Engagement process on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the City’s Public Works Service Center, 3131 Morris Avenue, Knoxville 37909. The meeting will also be held virtually via Zoom. The link to attend that online meeting will be available HERE on Jan. 27, 2025. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on draft Funding Priorities during the meeting. Staff will also briefly describe the process for agencies to apply for Year One (2025-2026) funding. 

    April 2025: The City anticipates releasing a draft of the Consolidated Plan and Year One Action Plan for a 30-day public comment period in early April 2025. The City will host a public meeting on April 22, 2025, 6 p.m. at the City’s Public Works Service Center, 3131 Morris Avenue, Knoxville 37909, to get feedback on the drafts of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan and Year One (2025-2026) Annual Action Plan. The meeting will also be held virtually via Zoom. The Zoom link will be available HERE on April 21, 2025.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the draft plan during the meeting. All are welcome to attend this public event.

People may also provide feedback to Linda Rust by email at  [email protected], or in writing at P.O. Box 1630, Knoxville, TN 37902. All comments received through the end of the public comment period will be included in the final plan submitted to HUD. 


For more information about the Consolidated Plan Timeline, click here.

Further opportunity to learn about the impact of HUD funds the City has received in the past can be found in Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Reports (CAPER) under “Reports and Plans.”