Mayor Madeline Rogero and Becky Wade, the City of Knoxville’s Community Development Director, recognized partners and projects that prioritize fair and affordable housing, job creation, and access and inclusion of persons with disabilities at today’s Equity Awards ceremony. Sernorma Mitchell, acting director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Knoxville field office, also welcomed guests to the annual breakfast. 

“Fifty years after Congress passed the Fair Housing Act, the City of Knoxville remains committed to fair housing principles: prohibiting discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, familial status, color, disability or sex,” Mayor Rogero said. “The programs and partners being honored today are exemplary for their positive effect on their neighborhoods and the entire city.”

City funding—in the form of forgivable low-interest loans—originates in the federal dollars distributed through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the HOME funds. Projects qualifying to receive these funds must adhere to specific rules. For example, funding requires that projects must comply with Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968. Section 3 requires that a percentage of new jobs created and new hires go to local, low-income residents. 
 

The 2018 Equity Awards honorees:


HOUSING PROGRAMS

Michael Haynes Construction has contributed high-quality homes to the City’s inventory of affordable rental housing.

Four of their six lots within the Lonsdale Redevelopment Plan area were purchased through the City’s Homemaker Program, turning them from blighted eyesores into safe, attractive homes. 

HomeSource East Tennessee’s purchase and renovation of the Normandy Chateau apartment complex near Adair Park in Fountain City improved 37 units of affordable rental housing while allowing existing tenants to remain living there. 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Developer Joe Fox, architect Nathan Honeycutt and general contractor Brett Honeycutt utilized funding from the City’s Commercial Façade Improvement Program to help transform a formerly nondescript corner of North Broadway into the striking, wrap-around visage of Elkmont Exchange Brewery & Eating House, which opened in November 2017.

The business created 130 new jobs, led to the purchase of several homes in the area and leveraged $3 million in private funds. 

ACCESS AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Facilities and Operations Director Jimmy Stone reached out to the Autism Breakthrough organization to find out how he could get involved in their efforts to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Two years later, ORNL has hosted numerous job seekers with disabilities who receive mentoring and hands-on work experience in several departments.

These interns are popular and in high demand. 

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Sanders Pace Architecture has transformed the City’s urban landscape with its modern designs, as seen in the new Tombras Group headquarters on Gay Street, The Pressroom event space on Broadway, and both the Loch & Key and Steamboat Sandwiches locations on North Central Street.

Sanders Pace Architecture also designs many of the City’s Commercial Façade projects. 


For more information about the City’s Community Development Department and its housing, grant and accessibility programs, visit www.knoxvilletn.gov/development.