Housing Systems

Building a Supportive Housing System for All Knoxville-Knox County Residents

Overview

United Way of Greater Knoxville is leading a collaborative initiative to fight homelessness in Knoxville/Knox County. We will bring together community residents, financial institutions, nonprofits, partners, and policy makers to focus on the root issues that led to our current housing crisis and to advocate for policy changes. Together, we will create a more inclusive, stable housing infrastructure in Knoxville-Knox County.

objectives

Based on findings from The National Low Income Housing Coalition in their Out of Reach 2022 report, we have determined the following housing system priorities:

Advocating for a sustained investment in building affordable, equitable, and fair housing stock.
Preserving affordable rental homes that already exist.
Bridging the gap between income and rent through universal housing assistance.
Providing emergency assistance to stable renters when they experience financial shocks that would cause them to lose their housing immediately.
Establishing strong renter protections.
Investing in programs that help renters prepare for and find affordable homeownership.

Call to action

By looking at the overall system of housing, we are able to see the deep inequity that has plagued the housing market for generations. You can join the fight for affordable homeownership by educating others, using your voice in your community, or reaching out to local, state, and federal leaders to advocate for universal housing assistance, renter protections, and more.

Learn how you or your organization can become part of the housing solution by contacting the Director of Housing Systems, Yolanda Grant, at granty@unitedwayknox.org.

HOuse Knox

House Knox is a collaborative initiative that aims to connect property owners/managers who have affordable housing units to our community’s case managers and their clients to successfully house homeless individuals and families in Knoxville-Knox County. Our work includes:

Increasing access to affordable housing.
Increasing education around financial literacy and rental responsibilities.
Increasing support and services for case managers and landlords.
Advocating for and increasing awareness of housing issues through community education.

Contact Us

Want to learn more about Housing Systems?

Reach out to get more information about how we’re working collectively to build a supportive housing system.