Andrew Roberto - Knoxville City Council, District 2

Eight years ago, I raised my hand and took an oath to serve Knoxville on City Council. Today, I completed my last committee meeting when the Transportation Planning Organization Executive Board adjourned. I’m filled with gratitude and hope for what’s ahead for our city.

Serving as Beer Board Chair (2019–2021) and Vice Mayor (2021–2023) was an honor, but the real privilege was working alongside so many passionate neighbors to improve our city. It would be impossible to list every vote or every event from the last two terms, but I wanted to highlight a few community-driven partnerships that I'm especially proud of:

• Bringing local and state leaders together to review our shared community mental health needs and build a coalition to bring a state mental health hospital to Knoxville.
• Holding community town halls to listen and learn.
• Partnering with my City Council colleagues to support local businesses impacted by construction with “Pack the Place” lunches and collecting school supplies for students in need through “Stuff the Bus.”
• Connecting residents with their local representatives at “Meet Your Reps” events.

Beyond these projects, it was the daily interactions: the emails, the phone calls, and the neighborhood walks, that truly defined these last eight years for me.

Knoxville, thank you for trusting me with this responsibility. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together and even more excited about the possibilities for Knoxville going forward. My role may change, but my commitment to our community doesn’t end here. The work continues and I look forward to our future together!

📢 You’re Invited to Meet Your Reps and help support Middlebrook Pike UMC’s food pantry!

When: Wednesday, December 10th from 5:30 to 7:00 PM

Where: Middlebrook Pike UMC – Fellowship Hall

Address: 7234 Middlebrook Pike

Please join Katherine Bike - School Board, District 4, Shane Jackson for County Commission, and me for updates from your Knox County School Board, Knox County Commission, and City Council representatives in a relaxed, informal setting. This is a great opportunity for Bearden/West Knoxville neighbors to discuss local issues, ask questions, and learn more about what’s going on in our community.

We’re also coming together to support our neighbors! Please bring canned vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, and canned soup to help restock the Middlebrook Pike UMC food pantry.

Right now Knoxville offers short-term stabilization for those in mental health crisis, but we lack local long term in-patient facilities to meet the needs of those without insurance or financial resources. In my latest blog, learn how Knoxville City Council, Knox County Commission, and our State Representatives started working together in 2022 to bring a mental health hospital to Knoxville. The need is clear and the data is in, but this critical project needs your voice to help make it a reality.

Closing the Care Gap: The Case for a State Mental Health Hospital in Knoxville Closing the Gaps For Our Most Vulnerable: Knoxville currently offers short-term stabilization options for those in mental health crisis, such as jail diversion for non-violent persons and emergency…

✨🎄The Bearden holiday tree in Everly Brothers Park is shining brightly, signaling the start of the holiday season in Knoxville.

Every day skilled electrical workers support and maintain our power infrastructure, keeping the lights on and modern life moving. Last night, members of Knoxville City Council and Mayor Indya Kincannon recognized the 100th anniversary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 760. Thank you for all you do for our community!

Appreciate the opportunity to spend a little time this morning with members of our Knoxville Firefighters Association and Tennessee Professional Fire Fighters Association!

Meet Your Reps is a fantastic opportunity for Bearden/West Knoxville residents to connect with your local representatives from City Council, County Commission, and the School Board in a relaxed, informal setting. Come discuss local issues, ask questions, and learn more about what’s happening in our community.
I’m excited to be partnering with
Katherine Bike - School Board, District 4 and Shane Jackson for County Commission for this event! Join us on Thursday, September 25th, from 5:30–7:00 PM at Ashe's Bearden Beer Market (4524 Old Kingston Pike).
Feel free to drop in for a quick chat or stay as long as your schedule allows.

America's edge has been significantly driven by our competitive spirt both in business and in politics. But what happens when that spirt fades? In my latest blog, I consider a troubling shift from stock buybacks replacing R&D, to gerrymandered districts replacing real political debate. Just last week Texas re-engineered Congressional districts with California quickly responding. This quiet retreat from competition is weakening the very engine that has powered our global leadership. If we want to continue to shape the future, we must recommit to the values that made us strong: innovation, fair competition, and bold investments. We have to learn to compete again.

The Quiet Retreat from Competition: Unraveling America’s Engine of Progress In both business and politics, the United States is quietly stepping back from the spirit of competition that once defined our global leadership. The consequences are profound and leave us unprepar…

Since 2020, rents in Knoxville have increased by about 60% and home ownership feels out of reach for far too many families. This is a supply problem and I was encouraged recently to learn that better enforcement of our existing short-term rental rules has resulted in almost 100 housing units being returned to the rental or ownership market. There is a lot of work to do to address supply, but better enforcement of our existing short-term rental rules has had a positive impact. Learn more in my latest blog post:

Improved Enforcement Leads to 30% Drop in Residential Short-Term Rental Permits Improving housing affordability in Knoxville requires more than just building new homes, we must ensure our existing housing stock is being used to meet the needs of our residents. That’s why enfor…

We had a great turnout for Meet Your Reps yesterday! Special thank you to Coffee and Chocolate for hosting us and for my colleague Katherine Bike - Knox Co BOE, District 4 on Knox County School Board and Shane Jackson for County Commission on Knox County Commission for partnering with me on this informal opportunity for our community to meet with their local representatives.

Meet Your Reps is a fantastic opportunity for Bearden/West Knoxville residents to connect with your local representatives from City Council, County Commission, and the School Board in a relaxed, informal setting. Come discuss local issues, ask questions, and learn more about what’s happening in our community.
I’m excited to be partnering with
Katherine Bike - Knox Co BOE, District 4 and Shane Jackson for County Commission for this event! Join us on Tuesday, July 15th, from 5:30–7:00 PM at Coffee and Chocolate (7420 Kingston Pike).
Feel free to drop in for a quick chat or stay as long as your schedule allows.