At their meeting July 22, 2025, Knoxville City Council voted to approve nearly $5 million in federal funding to keep people in their homes and prevent homelessness with allocations to programs that will assist approximately 300 low-income residents. 

These investments focus on funding essential home repairs, improving safety and health conditions in living environments, and implementing effective eviction prevention strategies – all key to preventing homelessness before people become unhoused. 

Council also approved $18.9 million for the second phase of improvements in Council District 3 -- to Pleasant Ridge Road between Merchants Drive and city limits. 


Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee’s Emergency and Minor Home Repair program

• Total investment: $475,000 

• CAC’s Housing & Energy Services provides minor home repairs for low- and moderate-income families—mostly elderly individuals and people with disabilities  

• Funding will serve approximately 48 households with repairs that address immediate health and safety concerns, including issues related to roofs, structural integrity, accessibility features, and essential systems (plumbing, HVAC, and electrical)


Lead Safe & Healthy Homes Program (LSHHP)

• Total investment: $4,077,522.62 for five years 

• The program creates healthier and safer living environments for residents by remediating lead-based paint and other lead hazards for homeowners earning 80 percent of area median income (AMI)
• Qualifying properties must be built before 1978 and be occupied or regularly visited by children 6 and under
• During the program’s previous cycle (2019-2023), 160 houses were assessed, 126 units were treated, and 238 individuals received free training in lead abatement

East Tennessee Community Design Center (ETCDC) Design and Technical Assistance Services

• Total investment: $25,000

• The East Tennessee Community Design Center (ETCDC) provides pro bono design and technical assistance to organizations located in or serving low- and moderate-income areas

• Funding will be used to provide design or other technical services for approximately seven projects or activities provided by local architects, landscape architects, planners, interior designers, and other professionals to support nonprofit organizations, neighborhoods, community groups, and government entities


Legal Aid of East Tennessee 

• Total investment: $50,000 (Half of the $100,000 City commitment for FY 25/26)

• Legal Aid’s Housing Team addressing the legal issues that prevent individuals from maintaining safe and stable housing, including unlawful evictions, unfair housing practices, loss of employment, etc. 

• This funding is expected to keep approximately 53 individuals in their homes.  


Neighborhood Housing Inc’s Operation Backyard

• Total investment: $385,260

• NHI’s Operation Backyard program mobilizes volunteer teams to perform essential home repairs and accessibility modifications for low- and moderate-income households – most of which include elderly individuals and/or individuals with disabilities

• With this year's funding, NHI expects to provide improvements to approximately 70 households



Pleasant Ridge Road Phase II

• Total investment: $18.9 million

• Pleasant Ridge Road is being improved from Merchant Drive to the city limits; turn lanes will be added at Walnoaks Road, Sullivan Road and Murray Drive, sidewalks and a new 1.25-mile greenway will be constructed, and utilities will be upgraded

• Charles Blalock & Sons is the contractor; Johnson Mirmiran & Thompson will provide construction engineering and inspection (CEI) services

• This work complements earlier Pleasant Ridge Road Phase I work, an $8.76 million project that added turn lanes, sidewalks and utility upgrades on a 1.3-mile section of Pleasant Ridge between Merchant Drive and Interstate 640

• Timeline: Construction is anticipated to begin this fall and conclude by the end of 2027

• Prior to the start of construction, the City will hold a public meeting to answer residents’ questions and introduce the public to City staff and the project’s construction team; dates and details will be announced in August 2025