I believe the hurry is because of the tax credits which can only be applied for once a year and results of that application will be known in August. Some at the meeting thought it was a done deal but Jon Lawler was not so optimistic the credits would be granted.

That reason is not enough to approve this so quickly. However, the MPC rezoning is probably going to happen because they don't have reason not to. But the change will allow the new zoning to be changed again to allow multi-family zoning. Perhaps the only way to stop this is at the City Council level.

I thought it was interesting that Southeastern Housing Foundation is one person. It is a non-profit.

Jon Lawler argued that eliminating homelessness is a moral imperative. I agree but that doesn't mean we should stop the questions as to the adequacy of the planning and ongoing operations of this effort. To me, the case management is the biggest issue and that has also not been explained fully.

Why cant we house them closer to Farragut?

!) Unused buildings at Lakeshore Park? A mental facility is already on the grounds.

2) That small old school on Lyons View

3) Some of the vacant space at Western Plaza

4) Brownlow School

Is there anything like that at all west of town and to Farragut?

!) Unused buildings at Lakeshore Park? A mental facility is already on the grounds.

All of the smaller buildings, including the chapel, have been sold to Parks & Rec. Expect many to be demolished for parking lots. Lakeshore is not the type of facility that halfway house residents would utilize. Lakeshore houses SPMI who are unable to live in group homes. Lakeshore houses the forensic consumers until they are capable of serving their sentence in a correctional facility. Lakeshore does short term inpatient care to stabilize. Lakeshore is also in need of serious renovations. I suspect it will close in the next 5-10 years and be grabbed up by developers.

There are buildings suitable for halfway houses all over town. On an individual basis, some of these clients could fill in vacancies in the independent living facilities for seniors that are in every neighborhood. Placing them more than a bus ride away from the case management and other services for the homeless that exist downtown seems economically unwise, no matter how much you hate Farragut. Are they prepared to duplicate the support services everywhere in Knoxville? Are they talking about transitional housing or a long-term group home setting?

The beggars, which may be different from the actual homeless, have gotten more agressive and mean downtown and even spread to places like the Young High Pike Krogers, beware of beggars with cute puppies, a new trick. Also, men are cruising for hookers in the daylight in Old North, its disgusting. I don't know if either problem is solvable with a 10 year plan, isn't prostitution 2000 yearls old. Perhaps a brothel on Central would help get some off the street.

Did somebody say: NIMBY?
~m.

As a member of the Downtown South Business Association and, having attended the public meetings with regards to the Flenniken School Plans, I would like to mention that this group is not completely opposed to this project.

However, this project has been put on a fast-track and the group believes there should more consideration given to the impact on the area and community before being put in the SoKnox backyard.

If you are interested in participating in a face-to-face discussion, there will be a meeting tonight @ 6:30 at the Woodlawn Christian Church (4339 Woodlawn Pike).

If it were to be located at Flenniken wouldn't this be putting more pedestrians on Chapman Highway, an already dangerous highway.

Is this the direction we are heading?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poorhouse

http://www.poorhousestory.com/history.htm

are going to die...then let them do it and decrease the surplus population..."

Ebenezer Scrooge

A sentiment to which many now subscribe...perhaps the Ghosts of Christmas need to begin making the rounds a little earlier each year.

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"You can't fix stupid..." ~ Ron White"
"I never said I wasn't a brat..." ~ Talidapali

This is how a small town in Calif is temporarily helping the homeless situation.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=8721532&ch=4...

Townview terrace was originally built as mid range housing and went section 8 in the 80's. I'd like to see the feds limit the number of subsidized units in a development to 20-30& or so. That way the managers have incentive to keep troublemakers in line to keep them from running off the market rate tenants.

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"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse."

True, Lawler-Wood generally chases bigger fish. Although there are quite a few intertwined subsidiaries. Parkridge successfully fought off, several years back, a 64-unit low income tax credit development atop what were once the standard knitting mill's parking lots. I forget the corporate name of the "developer" in that instance, but it was Mike Wood who did all the talking (lucky for Parkridge, Victor was still pissed at Pat and Rodney for jacking up the price on one of the potential baseball stadium sites).

Betty's right, though, it is something of an open secret about how Lawler and Wood have done quite well for themselves in affordable housing (the Townview buyout and subsequent construction management contract was particularly galling).

Nice pavilion out on the river, though. Sometimes they even let neighborhood groups use it...

In case anybody missed it, MPC denied the Use on Review for Flenniken School last week. The vote was near unanimous (one vote in favor). No word on whether this will be appealed to Council.

This is the biggest RUSE i have ever seen, in a meeting last night the question was asked how many homeless does knoxville have cricket cricket cricket it took yells from the room for them to answer. 2000 homeless and the plan is only based on 800 at a cost of wait for it wait wait
67 million dollar so lets Double that number to 134 million dollars, and were still short support for 400 people.