The urban housing rehabilitation industry in Knoxville, Tennessee

The purpose of this study was to better understand the nature and problems of the urban housing rehabilitation industry in Knoxville, Tennessee, through direct interviews with industry members. The interviews included sections about the background, procedures used, and problems of being in the housing rehabilitation industry. A total of 17 contractors and five other professionals active in housing rehabilitation activities in Central Knoxville were interviewed. Data compiled through the interviews was compared with information from a review of literature related to the topic.

Results emphasized the ongoing importance of and need to support the small housing rehabilitation contracting firm within the industry. This was found to be important due to the close supervision and great flexibility required by rehabilitation work. A growing amount of professionalism and standardization is also being seen in the industry, a trend that is supported by the nature of some government rehabilitation programs. Most industry members, however, still remain oriented toward general construction and carpentry skills, with most specialty work still subcontracted.

Few problems and corresponding solutions for the industry were proposed by industry members, something which appeared to be due to the low status and hope for improvement seen by many of them. Some of the newer industry members held a more optimistic view of the industry. Although the urban housing rehabilitation industry in Knoxville was seen as an active one, the local industry had not yet taken on many of the characteristics of other, more organized industries. Although better communications and stronger professional groups will probably continue to emerge, the nature of the rehabilitation work itself was seen as a limiting factor in this trend. Lastly, the report points to some future directions for research and considerations for planners in relating to the housing rehabilitation industry.