KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability (OHS) unveiled a strategic plan on Monday aimed at reducing homelessness and improving local community response system over the next three years.
Specific milestones targeted in the three-year timeline include a 150% increase in the number of households who avoid homelessness through shelter diversion services, a 15% drop in unsheltered homelessness, and reducing the average duration of homelessness by 60 days.
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Five overall goals are outlined in the plan to boost the homelessness response system: Ensure a homeless services system that responds with urgency and efficiency, prevent homelessness, reduce unsheltered homelessness, increase access to permanent housing for homeless households, and expand funding capacity and sustainability of the homeless services system.
CoCStrategicPlanDownload
OHS and its partners held public listening sessions across the city while formulating the plan, attended by more than 100 participants with 28 more providing online input. Over 80 people experiencing homelessness were interviewed and a focus group of 15 residents of permanent supportive housing was convened.
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The Knoxville-Knox County OHS was launched in 2023 after homelessness grew by 50% in the previous year. The organization recently became the lead agency of the Knoxville-Knox County Continuum of Care, a local planning body recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and charged with coordinating the local community response to homelessness.
A new board of directors for the Continuum of Care was also announced on Monday. It is made up of 17 community leaders including Metro Drug Coalition Director Webster Bailey, UT Medical Center President Dr. Keith Gray, Knoxville Chief of Police Paul Noel, and Andrew Church of the Knoxville-Knox County Homeless Coalition.
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“This is a well-qualified and experienced team that will guide the CoC as it works to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring across Knoxville and Knox County,” said Erin Read, Executive Director of OHS. “This Board brings together the experience and commitment we need to implement our new strategic plan and create lasting solutions. Their leadership will be vital to ensuring that everyone in our community has a safe and stable place to call home.”…