Surrounding the University of Tennessee is Knox County, where many local individuals struggle with housing instability — approximately 74% of new clients of Knoxville Homeless Management Information System were from Knox County or Knoxville in 2024.
Housing insecurity not only affects those without a permanent roof over their heads, but it also impacts the whole community.
“A sustainable city allows all its residents to thrive,” Courtney Cronley, UT professor of social work, said. “Homelessness affects local economies negatively, it draws on the local public budget and regional healthcare costs when people without shelter rely on emergency rooms or are put in jail rather than being housed.”…