KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Homelessness is rising in Knoxville and outreach teams are trying to close the gap for people who can’t access traditional health care.
Homelessness in Knox County has grown drastically since 2018. Families are living in cars. Hundreds are chronically homeless, and first responders are seeing more people outside as temperatures drop.
“Homelessness in Knoxville, in Knox County, is similar to homelessness in every other community in the United States in that it is being driven mostly by increasing housing costs,” said Erin Read, executive director of the Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability.
Resources still open for East Tennessee families needing help this holiday season
Read said accessing medical care is also one of the biggest challenges for people experiencing homelessness. Many don’t have the transportation or a working phone to make appointments. That’s why agencies formed medical outreach teams to meet people where they are…