Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon gave her State of the City Address, highlighting how the city is on a roll and sharing her $461.6 million budget with a pledge to see transformational projects through the finish line. The Mayor’s priorities include enhancing public safety, relieving the acute housing shortage, creating jobs and equitable economic opportunities, investing in public infrastructure, and being brilliant at the basics.
Mayor Kincannon shared the significant strides made in housing initiatives, including investing more in affordable, attainable housing than ever before and leveraging millions of private dollars to create homes for thousands of Knoxville families. Specifically, she shared how, for the first time in Knoxville’s history, local philanthropists are donating more than $2 million to help accelerate affordable housing. She also highlighted the partnership with Knox County to launch the first-ever Joint Office of Housing Stability, which has led coordinated efforts to help residents in need.
The Mayor celebrated the progress the city is making in protecting its clean air and water, ensuring the community is ready for extreme weather events. She noted that thanks to support from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, they will plant thousands of more trees across the community. Knoxville is also working to reduce its carbon footprint and increase its resiliency through electrifying its fleet, including more EVs for police and firefighters and more electric buses.
Mayor Kincannon is committed to keeping the community safe and shared that crime has been down for the second year due to the collective efforts of KPD, KFD, the Office of Community Safety and Empowerment, and community groups. The Mayor also shared efforts to ensure people can move around the city without harm when walking, biking, taking the bus, or driving through Knoxville’s Vision Zero plan, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths on city streets by 2040. Further, with support from President Biden’s federal investments, Knoxville will have $8 million to implement safety initiatives on Broadway, Woodland, and Magnolia Avenue.
Watch the Mayor’s full address here.
