COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
CITY SEEKS COMMENTS ON PROPOSAL FOR NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION FUNDS The City of Knoxville's Community Development Department is preparing an application for funding through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Round 2 (NSP2). The application is competitive and due to HUD on July 17, 2009. Public comments on the plan are encouraged -- and are due no later 4:30 p.m. Monday, July 13, 2009. Learn more about the development of the plan. View or download the plan (a PDF document). CITY LAUNCHES BUSINESS EXPANSION PROGRAM IN THE EMPOWERMENT ZONE The Partnership for Neighborhood Improvement and the City of Knoxville's Community Development Dept. have launched a new program to help businesses expand in or relocate to the 16-square mile Empowerment Zone (EZ) in the central city. The Business Expansion Loan Program (BELP) is a revolving loan fund to provide gap financing to make projects feasible. We are now taking applications. See Program Description and Loan Application. CONTACT INFORMATION Madeline Rogero, Director mrogero@cityofknoxville.org Room 532, City County Building 865-215-2865 Fax: 865-215-2962 Main Line: 865-215-2120 Fax: 865-215-2962 Disability Services: 865-215-2034 TTY: 865-215-4581 Fair Housing Program: 865-215-2120 Housing Programs: 865-215-2120 Neighborhood Strategy Areas: 865-215-2120 Solutions to Problem Properties: 865-215-2120	Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) HPRP Plan 2009 [PDF] CDBG-R Plan 2009 [PDF] Final 2009-2010 Action Plan [PDF] Final 2008-2009 Action Plan [PDF] Final 2007-2008 Action Plan Consolidated End-of-Year Review Letter from HUD [PDF] Consolidated Plan - New 5 YR Empowerment Zone Façade Improvement Program (FIP) Fair Housing Housing Programs Homemaker's Program Office of Neighborhoods NEWS RELEASES 06/22/09 - City's My Front Yard Program Revealing Success 04/15/09 - New Empowerment Zone Loan Program 03/18/09 - Annual Action Plan Developed, Public Meeting April 14 12/11/08 - Knoxville's First Group of Gold-Certified LEED Houses Opening 12/03/08 - City Seeks Comments on 2009 Action Plan 11/18/08 - New Home Repair Program Available in Empowerment Zone 11/11/08 - Public Comments Sought for Neighborhood Stabilization Program Plan 05/08/08 - Mayor Names Massey New Neighborhood Coordinator 03/25/08 - Groundbreaking for "Green" House
Community Development administers a variety of programs geared toward the revitalization of Knoxville's low-to-moderate income neighborhoods. In order for resources to have the greatest impact, the Department targets its programs to strategy areas that are selected periodically. The Department also coordinates the city's participation in the Knoxville Empowerment Zone. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT PROVIDES: Programs to improve housing opportunities for lower-income homeowners, tenants and first-time homebuyers as well as assistance to organizations serving Knoxville's homeless population. A Fair Housing Program to promote equal opportunity in housing and to investigate complaints of housing discrimination in Knoxville. Activities that identify vacant, blighted or problem properties and seek developers to return them to productive use. Support for programs that assist neighborhoods in identifying and solving their own problems. Support for programs that provide training and employment to lower-income citizens or to assist lower-income citizens in starting small businesses. REVITALIZATION PROJECTS: Five Points Commercial Development Lonsdale Redevelopment Vestal Redevelopment ENERGY STAR: The City of Knoxville is a proud partner of ENERGY STAR. Community Development Department's Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program have built five Energy Star homes and plan on building more Energy Star-certified homes. ENERGY STAR qualified products and practices help you save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE. The ENERGY STAR label also designates superior energy performance in homes and buildings. More information is available on the ENERGY STAR website at www.energystar.gov. KNOXVILLE'S FIRST GROUP OF GOLD-CERTIFIED LEED HOUSES OPENED The City of Knoxville’s Community Development Department and the Knox Housing Partnership celebrated the completion of the first group of affordable Gold-certified LEED houses in the State of Tennessee on Saturday, December 13. The seven houses – five located on Chestnut Street and two others nearby on Houston Street – join former Vice President Al Gore’s home in Nashville as the only LEED certified homes in the state. The moderately-priced homes, built by the Knox Housing Partnership with funding provided by the city’s Community Development Department, are available to any qualified buyer. However down payment and other financial assistance will be available to low-to-moderate income families. “This is a great example of how the City and other agencies like KHP and the Partnership for Neighborhood Improvement are working together to make good things happen in our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Bill Haslam. “We’ve been looking forward to this day. These are going to make great homes for some great families.” [NEWS RELEASE] [KNOXVILLE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP] FUNDING AVAILABLE: Empowerment Zone (EZ) Home Repair Program BASIC INFO LINKS The EZ Home Repair program has two components: "My Front Yard" will provide loans of up to $4,999 (forgivable over a 5-year term) for a wide variety of exterior needs, including front-yard landscaping, gutters, roof repair or replacement, porches, accessibility ramps, and exterior siding, painting, and lighting. The home must meet minimum housing standards."Owner-Occupied Rehab" will provide repayable low-interest loans to correct building code violations, update the home for energy efficiency, repair major systems (heating, electrical, plumbing, roofing) and make needed repairs to floors, walls and siding. My Front Yard application deadline (Round III) will be August 1, 2009. There is no application deadline for the Rehab portion of the program, but please note that funds are limited, and there will be a waiting list. More Info Program Brochure [PDF] Houses Located in the EZ 11/18/08 - New Home Repair Program Available in Empowerment Zone My Front Yard Homeowner Application [PDF] - To apply for "My Front Yard" please print the application and mail to "My Front Yard" Community Development Department City of Knoxville P.O. Box 1631 Knoxville, TN 37901. To apply for "Owner-Occupied Rehab" please call the Community Development Department at 215-2120. There will be a waiting list for this program. My Front Yard Contractor Application [PDF] Empowerment Zone (EZ) Blighted Properties Redevelopment Program BASIC INFO LINKS The governing board of the Knoxville Empowerment Zone, the Partnership for Neighborhood Improvement (PNI), has allocated $1,884,000 in Empowerment Zone funding to the City's Community Development Department to implement a program that will provide financing through loans, grants and/or subsidies for the purpose of redeveloping and renovating vacant dwelling units, or constructing new dwelling unit, for either sale or rent. Eligible properties must be located in the Empowerment Zone and meet the Program requirements. More Info About Program Application Process Explanation [PDF] Application Part 1 [PDF] Application Part 2 [PDF] Program Requirements [PDF] Designated Properties List [PDF] Façade Improvement Program (FIP) BASIC INFO LINKS Owners of commercial properties in five Knoxville business districts may apply for financial assistance to renovate street-facing exteriors under a new program administed by the City of Knoxville and funded by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs grants. Roughly $758,500 in Empowerment Zone funding is available in the form of five-year forgivable loans for properties around Central Avenue and Broadway. Another $131,500 is targeted for Burlington, Five Points, Jackson Avenue and Mechanicsville. FIP Application [PDF] FIP Description [PDF] FIP North Zone Advisory Council [PDF]