It is challenging to determine the exact number of unhoused people in Union County. I have been told that most of these folks couch surf or stay with relatives. Others travel to Knox County for services. And still others camp out in various locations around the county.

According to statistics provided by Nate First, LCSW, MA, Program Director of the Knoxville Homeless Management Information System (KnoxHMIS), approximately 47 people from Union County received assistance in Knox County during 2023. In five years (2019-2024), the approximate number of Union County residents receiving assistance was only 157, the majority of which were from the 37807 zip code, with a few from Luttrell and Sharps Chapel.

The Tennessee Valley Coalition for the Homeless (TVCH) receives few requests from our county. They state that their street outreach team provides food, supplies and services directly to people experiencing homelessness across 12 counties, and their team is active in Union County.

“We know that most people who are street homeless in Union County…are forced to move to downtown Knoxville because there are no services that can help them back home”, said Katelyn McGuire, MPH, TVCH Executive Director. “There is no central hub or space where they can congregate in Union. That is why most people couch surf or move away.” Knox County has a much larger population and many more resources to offer than a small county like Union.

In 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that cities can enforce bans on homeless people sleeping in public places and impose fines or jail time for doing so. The City of Knoxville has, so far, chosen not to enforce that law. It’s generally not illegal to be homeless, but many states have laws that criminalize specific behaviors associated with homelessness, such as public sleeping, camping or loitering.

Union County has a mixture of people who are homeless and decide to stay in the county. Some had a financial disaster – extreme medical bills, downsized from work, illness and unable to work. Some prefer not to have walls around them. Some individuals may be mentally unbalanced, with a unique perspective on the world. Others may want to stay off the government radar. And there are swindlers, ne’er-do-wells, trying to manipulate the system. However, some are families with children, doing their best in what may be the worst times for them.

Homelessness and the resources for the unhoused are complex issues.

TVCH is a small, non-profit organization with a primary goal to house the homeless. They do this through their Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program. TVCH works to house the homeless; educate the community; and provide permanent solutions to homelessness in 12 East Tennessee counties.

Their work is strictly rural; they do not work within the cities of these counties. Anyone who is homeless or facing homelessness in Union or surrounding counties can request help by calling 888-556-0791.

Additionally, the VCH has a program called Flex Funds in some of the 12 counties that can be used for homeless prevention (such as temporary rental or utility assistance). This is not yet available in Union County. The Flex Funds are entirely provided by private donations and small county-specific grants.

The TVCH Street Outreach program travels to the homeless populations in the same 12 East Tennessee counties and generally comes to Union County about once a month. Macrea Love has walked the hills, ridges and shorelines of our county visiting all the homeless camps that he can find. His team offers food, clothing, shoes, tents, sleeping bags and hygienic necessities (including menstrual supplies). The Street Outreach team works with Live Free Claiborne, a drug rehab program in Tazewell. They bring their shower trailer and supplies there 2-3 times a month. (Note: The shower trailer will be at 1316 Cedar Fork Road in Tazewell from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday July 8 – free to anyone who would like a shower. Shower supplies are provided.)

On the days that the team travels through Union County to get to Claiborne, they would be happy (if requested) to make an extra stop in Union with supplies, including clothes for job interviews. Macrea can be reached for Street Outreach supplies by individuals or businesses at 423-871-8013.

The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is a one-night count of individuals experiencing homelessness, whether sheltered or unsheltered. Local Continuum of Care agencies collect these statistics, and the PIT Count provides Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with a means to evaluate the effectiveness of local agencies’ efforts to address homelessness. They use this data to determine funding amounts for these agencies and compile this data into the Annual Homeless Assessment Report, which is provided to Congress. In one 24-hour period in 2024, Campbell County reported 40 unsheltered people, and Anderson County had 95. None have ever been reported in Union County. Union County has no infrastructure in place to support the homeless beyond its food pantries. We have a unique homeless community due to the lack of available services. There is no way to estimate the number of homeless folks at any given time. Macrea believes that the options individual counties have are to mask the issue of the unhoused, move the unhoused to another county or treat the problem. Mask. Move. Or treat.