KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Where to house the homeless has become a huge issue in Knoxville. And where to build the next development is creating some controversy.

Even after a proposed site in West Hills was rejected for development issues, neighbors gathered to voice their concerns. It was standing room only.

"It was a lot of talk and no facts," said Ron Peabody, a member of the Kingston Woods Neighborhood Association, of the meeting that lasted more than two hours.

Thursday's public meeting was set up by neighbors who had concerns about the Teaberry Lane location, near West Town Mall, as a possible homeless housing site in West Knoxville. Sinkhole issues with the property pulled that location off the list, but the director of the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness says he's still focused on moving west. Why?

"We need to go west, because a lot of just, quite frankly, didn't believe we would do that," said Jon Lawler, in an interview with our radio partner WNOX Thursday morning. Lawler defended the statement Thursday evening, telling Volunteer TV the Ten Year Plan calls for scattered housing development, and that will include the west.

"People really need to see that we are going to spread it around, and West Knoxville's the most affluent area. They need to know we're willing to go there. And once we do, we'll have creditability in the north and the east and in other parts of the community," said Lawler.

Objections about the plan's solutions were wide ranging.

"What the ten year plan people need to do is sell the concept to the people first, that's where the miss was," said David Howard, whose home neighbors the Teaberry Lane site.

"We don't know what the costs are and quite frankly, they are not disclosing them," said Peabody. Many said open forum meetings were needed for more about about the Ten Year Plan's goals.

But some were sad to see the Teaberry Lane site pulled. "I've been homeless. I have a psychiatric illness," said Sheryl McCormick, who lives in Rocky Hill. "Being included in a community made all the difference."

Lawler says there is no timeline for finding another site in West Knoxville.