The non-profit group Kids On The Block has been told by the Hamilton County Schools it must find new quarters by June 1.
The group, which uses puppetry for its program to students in the Tennessee Valley, has been in the basement of Chattanooga School For The Arts and Sciences since 1987. It has been housed in public school buildings for 23 years and previously was at Barger School.
However, CSAS officials said that due to renovations at the school that it will need the basement space.
Officials of Kids On The Block said they do not have a new location in mind, and they said they cannot afford to pay rent.
They have been able to use the some 1,900 square feet of CSAS space rent free in exchange for programs they present.
Mitchel Everhart, president of the board, said, "We have been hearing rumors for a couple of years that we might have to move, but we didn't have anything in writing until yesterday. It kind of put us on short notice. We were not given any alternative. It was just you have to be out, and that's it."
He said he hopes the county schools can come up with another spot for Kids On The Block, which has nine staff members and which has made presentations before some 14,000 students in the past six months.
Betsy Holder is executive director of Kids On The Block.
The group has programs dealing with drug abuseness, child abuse, disability awareness and other issues facing youngsters.