FAQs About Homelessness

The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs consider a person to be homeless if they are sleeping outside, in a place not meant for human habitation such as a care or abandoned building, or in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program. Other federal agencies have different definition for homelessness. HUD Definition of Homelessness

In 2018, an estimated:

465 Families, including children

489 Unaccompanied Youth, ages 12-24

765 Senior Citizens, older than 62 years of age

603 Veterans resided in places not meant for human habitation or stayed in an emergency shelter.

501 individuals and families were chronically homeless

1,899 Individuals and families that lived in places not fit for human habitation

Knoxville Homeless Management Information System Annual Report 2018

Because homelessness is complex and each person’s situation is different, the best way to help is to partner with agencies that are able to dedicate full-time staff to working with those experiencing homelessness. While providing food or money to an individual may help in the short-term, it does little to help the individual escape the experience of homelessness and in some cases can even keep the person living on the street longer. A list of the agencies and services that are being provided can be found at Knox Housing Help

The best way to connect a person experiencing homelessness with these services is to encourage them to get a CHAMP assessment. CHAMP (Coordinated Housing Assessment and Match Plan) is Knoxville’s Coordinated Entry System, designed to connect those experiencing homelessness with services. CAC, VMC, and VOA are all designated access points for the assessment. More information can be found at: CHAMP

The MISSION of the Knoxville-Knox County Homeless Coalition is to foster collaborative community partnerships in a focused effort that seeks permanent solutions to prevent, reduce, and end homelessness. The Coalition does not provide direct services to those experiencing homelessness, but Coalition members work with groups that do provide these services. The Coalition meets the 4^th Tuesday of every month except for November and December. This gives service providers a time to come together each month to advocate, create community policy, and focus on the issues surrounding homelessness in our community. The Coalition also serves as a Governance Board for the Continuum of Care. The Continuum of Care coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals, primarily using funding received through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Coalition also provides educational training for the community.

More information for resources in the community to help those experiencing homeless can be found at: Knox HMIS

There is a big difference between emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent housing options that are specifically geared toward those experiencing homelessness.

Click the above links for the official HUD definition.

Permanent housing is, simply, housing. It’s worth stating the obvious that once someone is permanently housed, they are no longer homeless! HUD defines permanent housing as community-based housing without a designated length of stay in which tenants have a lease. Permanent housing is not “a program;” rather it is housing that tenants use just like anyone else in the community uses housing. Tenants may choose to move or can live there as long as they maintain the requirements of their lease.

In Knoxville there are two types of permanent housing options for those who experience homelessness. Rapid Rehousing (RRH) and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) . PSH includes case management support that lasts as long as the person lives in PSH. A requirement for living in PSH is that people must have been chronically homeless prior to moving in. This means that all individuals living in PSH have a disability and were homeless for at least one year prior to moving in. Knoxville has specific apartment complexes that provide PSH. By contrast, RRH depends on existing housing stock in the community. RRH is a program that provides case management services and short- to medium-term financial support to help people move into their own housing as quickly as possible. RRH provides case management to ensure stability in housing, but case management and financial support end when the household is finished with the program.

More information about these service types in Knoxville, is available here: Knox HMIS Community Dashboard

When temperatures hit the extremes (below 32° in winter and above 90° in summer) Knox Area Rescue Ministries, Salvation Army, and Volunteer Ministry Center participate in White Flag. During White Flag conditions, these providers encourage all people experiencing homelessness to seek shelter indoors. Programs relax rules to allow individuals to come inside for the day or night, even if these individuals might not be allowed in the program under other conditions. In addition, providers create overflow space to ensure that anyone who wants to come indoors can.