Knoxville City Council member Amelia Parker’s advocacy for homelessness and crisis response has earned her recognition from the National Homelessness Law Center. Parker, who represents At-Large Seat C on the council, will receive the Local Legislator Award at the Human Right to Housing Awards event in Washington, D.C. on October 11th.
Parker has been instrumental in establishing an alternative crisis response program in Knoxville. The program aims to provide trained teams to respond to nonviolent mental health or addiction emergencies without involving the police. It was approved by City Council earlier this year and has garnered support for its proactive approach to addressing these issues. Parker’s work on behalf of the homeless has been informed by input from unhoused constituents, and she has been at the forefront of efforts to decriminalize homelessness.
The National Homelessness Law Center praised Parker for her leadership in promoting housing as a human right. In her statement, Parker expressed her commitment to fighting for safe, adequate, and affordable housing options for all residents of Knoxville. She believes that strategies which criminalize the unhoused community should be abandoned in favor of more compassionate and effective solutions.
One of Parker’s notable initiatives is the introduction of an alternative response program that sends medic and behavioral health specialist teams to nonviolent emergency calls. This approach prioritizes the well-being of individuals experiencing mental health or addiction crises and aligns with the goal of providing appropriate and effective support.
In addition to her work on the crisis response program, Parker has been critical of Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon’s approach to breaking up homeless camps. She highlighted concerns about paperwork needed for services being left behind and destroyed, leading to additional challenges for the homeless population in accessing temporary housing or employment opportunities.
Amelia Parker is seeking re-election for a second term on November 7th. She is running against Tim Hill, a real estate developer, Knoxville-Knox County Planning chairman, and Knoxville Sports Authority board member.
The National Homelessness Law Center’s awards event will take place in Washington, D.C., at Microsoft’s Innovation & Policy Center. Other awardees include the Baker Donelson law firm for its pro bono work, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, collaborators of the Unhoused & Undercounted series, and Maryland State Sen. Mary Washington.
Tim Hill, who is running against Parker for Knoxville City Council At-Large Seat C, will be hosting a meet and greet event on October 5th. The event will provide an opportunity for voters to learn more about Hill and his campaign.
As of August 22nd, Hill has raised significantly more funds for his campaign compared to Parker. However, Parker remains confident in her ability to secure a second term based on her track record and dedication to serving the community.
Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty were initially among the Republicans who voted against a short-term funding measure to prevent a government shutdown. The measure aimed to fund the federal government until November 17th while providing funding for Ukraine and disaster assistance. A government shutdown appeared likely when funding ran out on October 1st.
Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. of the Air Force was confirmed as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by the Senate on September 20th. Blackburn and Hagerty both supported his confirmation. The Senate also confirmed Gen. Randy A. George and Gen. Eric M. Smith in subsequent votes on September 21st.
In the coming weeks, further promotions within the Defense Department may face delays due to objections raised by Senator Tommy Tuberville. However, the confirmation of Gen. Brown and other military leaders indicates progress in filling key positions within the military hierarchy.
The article concludes by noting that the author, Georgiana Vines, is a retired News Sentinel associate editor.
