CareCuts homeless day center approved by council
By Mike Steely
Senior Writer
steelym@knoxfocus.com
A three-day-a-week center for the homeless in North Knoxville will open along Clinton Highway near Merchant Drive as approved in an 8-1 vote by city council on Tuesday. The councilmembers denied the appeal filed by a neighborhood group and local business owners to overturn a planning commission approval.
CareCuts now may move its headquarters from the downtown Mission District to the empty bank building in front of the Clinton Plaza Shopping Center. Those objecting to the planners’ approval, led by attorney David Hamilton, spoke of the violations they claimed a homeless center would bring to the community there.
Hamilton said CareCuts is not the building’s owner and did not present a lease for the building, calling the nonprofit’s location there “spot zoning.” He spoke of the growing number of homeless in the area and the increased thefts.
The opponents were appealing the special use granted to CareCuts for the property at 5200 Clinton Highway.
Hamilton’s words were countered by Mary Katherine Wormsley, Judge Chuck Cerny and attorney Ben Mullins. Wormsley, a founder of the organization, said the facility would become a hub for the homeless to transition back into society.
“They are out there already,” Cerny said, adding that the facility “will make this area safer.”
Mullins noted the former bank building owner was not opposed and said the day center would not affect the nearby businesses.
Fifth District Councilman Charles Thomas, who represents the neighborhood, spoke highly of CareCuts but favored the appeal, saying that the neighborhood was overflowing with the homeless. Should the center be approved, Thomas said the area would need the help of more law enforcement and the homeless would be better served in the Broadway Mission District.
At-Large Councilwoman Debbie Helsley countered, “There are homeless people all over the city.”
Thomas was the sole “No” vote on the motion to reject the appeal after his motion to approve the appeal failed to receive a second.
