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Real estate industry

Knox County Commission Votes to Kill Proposed Homeless Housing Complex

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Knox County Commission members expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed supportive housing complex for the homeless on DeBusk Lane, citing concerns over the project's location and cost. The commission voted 15-4 to reject the proposal, with members criticizing the process used to select the property and the potential price tag of the land. The project would have utilized Community Development Block Grant funds and Tennessee Housing Development Agency income, directing up to $500,000 towards the development.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Knox County Commission voted 15-4 to reject a proposed supportive housing complex for the homeless on DeBusk Lane, citing concerns over the project's location and cost.
  • Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert expressed dissatisfaction with the process used to select the property, stating that it was "being sprung on us too quick."
  • The project would have allowed the county to direct up to $443,200 in Community Development Block Grant funds and $56,800 in Tennessee Housing Development Agency income towards developer Southeastern Housing Foundation.
  • Commissioner Richard Briggs criticized both the location and the potential price tag, stating that it was "not the right place and not the right price."
  • Ten-Year Plan Director Jon Lawler defended the project, noting that the governing bodies' mandate was to spread supportive housing units throughout the county instead of concentrating them at "the urban core."
  • Commissioner Mark Harmon argued that opponents of the development were using "bogus arguments" to make their case, and the project would save money in the long run by getting homeless people off the streets.

Statistics:

  • The proposed supportive housing complex would have cost up to $500,000 or the appraised value of the two-acre property, whichever was less.
  • The project would have utilized up to $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds and $56,800 in Tennessee Housing Development Agency income.
  • Collectively, the commission expressed concerns over the project's cost, with an estimated $370,000 above the property's appraised value.
  • According to Commissioner Harmon, the project would save money in the long run by getting homeless people off the streets.

Sources:

  • "Knox County Commission votes to kill planned homeless housing complex." The Knoxville News Sentinel, 2009.

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