Messy Zoning and Studentification: Fort Sanders in Knoxville, Tennessee

This study explores the unique intersection of the current coronavirus pandemic and studentification by looking at college neighborhoods in cities through a case study of at University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the near-by Fort Sanders neighborhoods. It introduces the idea of "messy zoning" to characterize the unclear and conflicting land-use regulations and their applications by local and institutional actors contributing to further studentification. Using secondary data collection and archival urban planning documents from the City of Knoxville, this study works to question the reasons neighborhoods become studentified. Particularly, it fills the gap that is blaming HMO (Houses in multiple occupation) zoning and proximity to campuses as the main reasons for studentification. Additionally, it opens up conversations about how the pandemic has affected student neighborhoods. Knoxville’s Fort Sanders neighborhood stands as a representation of what conflicting land use regulations due to the stability of a neighborhood.