TYP – Ten Year Plan

As you have read in other media outlets last week both Mayor Tim Burchett and Interim Knoxville Mayor Daniel Brown held a press conference last week to announce that Jon Lawler and Robert Finey were leaving the office of the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. The press conference was packed with many of the current entities that serve the homeless and I was actually surprised at the number of people that attended the press conference.

Of the nine points of the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness Plan, the one sticking point was the permanent housing. I did post several items that addressed this sticking point. My perspective on the issue of permanent housing is that it should be in close proximity to their service providers. That would mean that the Minvilla Manor at Fifth and Broadway is ideal. Minvilla Manor is completed. The construction of permanent housing at the old Flenniken School is NOT ideal, due in part to the long term closure of the Henley Street Bridge. However, the City has approved and construction has been started on the old Flenniken School. So, we must live with it. The other sticking point is the allowance of residents being allowed to use alcoholic beverages in the housing units and on the property.

So, the new plan is that Lawler and Finey are leaving and are replaced by volunteer coordinators Ron Peabody (a critic that led the TYP Choice organization) and Stephany Methany a supporter of the Ten Year Plan. The consensus is that the Ten Year Plan is relatively dead on arrival due to two volunteers heading it up instead of two full time staff persons. The funniest comment that was stated directly to me at the press conference is when one of the supporters of the Ten Year Plan leaned into me and said “now Ron Peabody will have to put up or shut up”. It is easier to be the critic and nit pick any proposal, now Peabody must perform.