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Commission approves Raleigh Shelby Cares lease after questions about site selection and costs
Summary
The commission approved a three‑year lease for a Raleigh Shelby Cares hub and associated fit‑out, but commissioners asked for the program's data, vision and costs; Office of Innovation staff said a single health hub costs about $400,000 per year and the program is being run in partnership with the University of Tennessee.
The Shelby County Commission on Oct. 6 approved a three‑year lease for the Office of Innovation’s Shelby Cares site in Raleigh (Item 26), including up to $104,000 for leasehold improvements and roughly $140,672 in FY2026 expenditures. Commissioners expressed concern about how sites were selected and asked for data and a clear vision for program expansion.
Blair Benavides of the Office of Innovation said the initiative began with the University of Tennessee and has been run as a pilot for about three years; UT and county staff identified hotspots for expansion. "It takes about $400,000 per year to stand up a single health hub," Benavides said, adding that local philanthropy and partners would be expected to share costs.
Commissioner Thornton said she would not support the item until the commission receives updated information about site selection, prioritization and how Raleigh was chosen relative to other ZIP codes, and asked for a written presentation to committee. Benavides said she previously distributed presentations, emails and outreach to commissioners and offered to resend the materials and meet with commissioners for follow up.
Public comment included questions about program operations and equity; staff said program management and some services will be collaborative and that administrative staff are in place to run Shelby Cares hubs. The resolution passed with recorded votes showing nine ayes and one abstention.
What’s next: Office of Innovation will provide commissioners the program presentation and data used to select hotspots, and the county and partners will continue planning for Shelby Cares expansions.
