Knoxville residents are invited to learn how they and their neighbors prioritize the community’s needs for affordable housing, homelessness services, blight remediation, economic development and other issues that fall under the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Development Department. 

(Housing and Neighborhood Development is the new name for what had been the City’s Community Development Department.)

At a public meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, at the John T. O’Connor Senior Center, Housing and Neighborhood Development Department staff will present feedback received during a series of public meetings and roundtable discussions held in 2019. Staff will also present a summary of housing-needs data and a draft of priority goals and strategies.

This feedback will inform the Five-Year Consolidated Plan for program years 2020-2024, which outlines how the City proposes to spend federal funds received through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships grants, and Emergency Solutions Grants programs.

Staff members will also share a timeline for further public participation, outline a process for the development of an Analysis of Impediments for Fair Housing Choice, and take comments from meeting participants.

Information presented at the meeting will be made available on the City’s website (KnoxvilleTN.gov/development) on Wednesday, Jan. 22. 

Residents unable to attend the meeting are welcome to provide comments and questions to Linda Rust at [email protected]; by mail at the City of Knoxville Housing and Neighborhood Development Department, P.O. Box 1631, Knoxville, Tenn., 37901; by fax to 865-215-2962; or by calling 865-215-2357. 

The O’Connor Center is wheelchair accessible. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to attend a City of Knoxville public meeting, contact City ADA Coordinator Stephanie Brewer Cook at 865-215-2034 or [email protected] at least 72 business hours (3 business days) prior to the meeting you wish to attend. 

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 [email protected] or 865-215-2831 at least 48 hours (2 days) prior to the meeting.