KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Debate over Knoxville's Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness continued to rage Thursday evening.

Residents on both sides of the issue gathered to discuss their issues with the Ten Year Plan on Thursday at the South Knox Community Center. At the heart of the debate is the planned conversion of the old Flenniken School off Chapman Highway into housing for the homeless.

Many residents fear housing as many as 48 people in the converted school will bring increased crime. They are especially concerned about the possibility of bad elements surrounding “the Verandas,” which is neighboring KCDC-owned apartment complex for the elderly.

"People were objecting based on imaging the worst possible scenarios,” said William Donegan, a South Knoxville resident. “They might happen, but those scenarios may not happen.”

Critics of the plan also argue the project gives too much credit to developers who are only working with money they receive from the city.

“The tax payers seem to be footing the bill for all this,” said Paul Pinkston, a Knox County commissioner. “We’re paying $125,000 for one bedroom efficiencies. Do you realize how many $100,000 houses we could buy for that across Knoxville? Then we scatter these people and that way everybody takes a little bit.”

Construction on the Flenniken site is expected to begin sometime this fall.