UCHRA prioritizing affordable housing and higher-paying job opportunities after its recent community needs assessment found those issues as the top concerns for residents.
Community Services Assistant Jordan Herald said the assessment identifies gaps in services and determines where the agency should focus its resources. Herald said the survey gathered input from more than 2,000 individuals to outline the top five priority needs for the community.
“It tells me that people really want their voices to be heard and are invested in the services that they receive through the community,” Herald said. “One of the most interesting findings this year to me was that individuals want more affordable recreational activities for youth and families.”
Herald said the top-ranked need for affordable housing is driven by escalating rents and home prices that have outpaced household income growth in the region. Herald said an influx of families moving into the Upper Cumberland has further increased the demand for accessible and affordable housing units.
“We have pretty much always seen those two hand in hand,” Herald said. “Our last community needs assessment these two needs ranked at the top two as well. So, um, they continue, you know, to feed into one another. So unless we see some of our housing prices decrease and our income increase, I, I’m afraid we will be stuck in this area.”
Herald said many working adults in the region remain concentrated in low-wage retail and service roles despite a low regional unemployment rate of 3.3 percent. Herald said these positions often fail to sustain long-term family stability or allow for financial growth.
“It’s just that all of those jobs are concentrated in that low-wage retail and that really keeps individuals and families, you know, confined to where they’re at,” Herald said. “It, um, hinders their ability to continue to grow financially.”
Herald said the agency is implementing the Empower Upper Cumberland framework across its county offices to provide one-on-one mentorship and financial literacy. Herald said this approach includes two strategic roadmaps focused on financial security for seniors on fixed incomes and financial prosperity for working families.
“I think it’s just connecting with individuals and helping individuals realize that they don’t have to go about their goals alone,” Herald said. “Like they can have support and encouragement. Um, there are others who would like to come along alongside of them and help them. Um, so many though don’t have that social capital.”
Herald said the assessment also highlighted the need for homelessness resources and wraparound services for individuals with disabilities. Herald said more than 17.8 percent of the regional population lives with a disability, a figure that exceeds both state and national averages.
“So that requires a multi-system support beyond standard safety nets,” Herald said. “So here at UCHRA, we connect individuals to an integrated network of care, which includes the Tennessee Early Intervention System, the Area Agency on Aging and Disability for TennCare Choices, Vocational Rehabilitation and legal protection programs like Crest & Cave.”
Herald said the agency works closely with an executive board comprised of mayors from 14 counties to advocate for these needs and coordinate local resources. Herald said the ultimate goal is to make it easier for residents to navigate the various supports available in their communities.
“The thing that gives me hope is that we have so many partners and resources,” Herald said. “For every need listed in that needs assessment, we have multiple partners working on that need.”
