Housing Plan

Transforming Western’s Housing Plan will catalyze the neighborhood revitalization by creating a unique mixed-income, mixeduse community that gives residents choices and offers high-quality amenities and management. The plan incorporates design elements, amenities, and architectural characteristics attractive to all income levels, with thoughtful integration and convenient access to various new neighborhood facilities.

Existing Conditions There are approximately 1,335 units in the Western Heights Choice Neighborhood, and the vacancy rate is approximately 16.9 percent, compared to 10.7 percent in Knoxville and 8.6 in the county. Only 27.3 percent of the units in the Western Heights neighborhood are owner-occupied, significantly lower than the 50 percent owner-occupied units in the city and 66.5 percent in Knox County. The 2021 median value of owner-occupied units is $87,550, which is 53 percent of the Knoxville median of $165,450 and only 40 percent of the Knox County median of $217,925.

KCDC Western Heights, the only public housing complex in the Western Heights neighborhood boundary, is composed of two developments: » 244 units, built in 1938 and occupied in 1939, which were renovated in 2019 and will undergo additional renovations in 2022, as described in the Neighborhood Plan; and » 196 units, built in 1953, which will be the target housing for Choice Neighborhoods. A physical needs assessment shows that the target housing (196 units) is severely distressed. The assessment projected a cost of $27,397,534.73 of immediate capital needs, including roofs, foundations, structural walls, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, site infrastructure, and utility infrastructure. The Housing Plan anticipates demolishing the 196 units of target housing and replacing those units in new-construction, mixed-income housing.

The plan is based on the neighborhood demographics, the comments and feedback received from current residents, and the makeup and physical conditions of the Western Heights housing. This plan will transform Western Heights beyond these existing conditions into a vibrant, high-quality, mixed-income housing community that all would choose to be their home.

244 units built in 1938 to be renovated

196 target housing units built in 1953

Overview of the Housing Plan The Housing Plan is an ambitious but achievable transformation that meets and exceeds the requirements of Choice Neighborhoods and is aligned with the goals of the Choice Neighborhoods program, including deconcentrating poverty and creating an equitable community. It addresses the specific needs identified in surveys, meetings, and focus groups by the target residents in KCDC Western Heights housing — high-quality, stigma-free, safe, and inclusive of all.

The Housing Plan was developed through a robust 15-month planning and community engagement process, which followed the Choice Neighborhoods model and built on existing community investments. The plan connects new construction housing to renovated KCDC housing to create one inclusive and cohesive community.

The new housing surrounds and integrates with neighborhood investments, like the new park, anchor building, arts and makerspace, and opportunities for entrepreneurship. Along with taking advantage of the spectacular views, the new housing at Western Heights will create a highly desirable, amenity-rich, mixed-income, and marketable neighborhood that will improve the lives of the current target residents and all future residents of the transformed community.