(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Knoxville, TN (WVLT) The Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability (OHS) has released its three year plan to address homelessness in the area, alongside the formation of the Continuum of Care Board of Directors. That board, made up of Knoxville, Knox County and other leaders, is set to head up homelessness prevention in the area.
The Continuum of Care Board is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s local planning body. The group has been charged with coordinating and executing housing services aimed at ending homelessness. It’s made up of people with backgrounds in health care, social services, government and law enforcement:
- Webster Bailey with Metro Drug Coalition
- Ben Bentley with Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC)
- Mona Blanton-Kitts with the McNabb Center
- Cheryl Ball with the City of Knoxville
- Jessica Carlton, also with the McNabb Center
- Andrew Church with the Knoxville-Knox County Homeless Coalition
- Keith Gray, MD of the University of Tennessee Medical Center
- Tiffany Higginbotham with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Jenny Holden with Knox County
- Chris Kelley a community representative
- Parinda Khatri, PhD with River Valley Health
- Danita McCartney of Knox Area Rescue Ministries
- Jasper McEwan, another community representative
- Paul Noel, chief of the Knoxville Police Department
- Orin Paschall, on the Youth Action Board
- Natalie Stair with YWCA
- Tracey Williams with Volunteer Ministry Center
“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.”
As for the three year plan, the Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability said it’ll focus on five key goals:
- Ensure a Homeless Services System that Responds with Urgency and Efficiency
- Prevent Homelessness
- Reduce Unsheltered Homelessness
- Increase Access to Permanent Housing for Homeless Households
- Expand Funding Capacity and Sustainability of the Homeless Services System
The plan itself outlines several action items over the three year period, like setting standards for homeless services and keeping up to date on data outlining the plan’s effectiveness.
Click here to view the plan in full.
