Mayor Ron Littlefield confirmed Friday he is working on a transfer of the 20-acre Poss Homes property to Howard School.
The mayor said, "I could not imagine it not being used for the expansion of the athletic fields at Howard. That is the best use for it."
He said he has been talking with county school board members as well as Supt. Rick Smith about the transfer.
Mayor Littlefield attended a portion of the county school board meeting on Thursday night, but did not address the board.
He said some steps still need to be taken before the transfer can happen, "but I wanted everyone to be prepared for that going forward."
A deal was worked out earlier for a three-way property swap involving the city, the Chattanooga Housing Authority and the county schools. However, the school board has never taken action on one part of the deal that would have transferred the East Brainerd School property on East Brainerd Road for the Poss Homes tract.
Mayor Littlefield said, "It appears that part of the deal is not going to happen."
The school board voted Thursday night to ask the county real property office to begin to market the current East Brainerd School site.
Mayor Littlefield said final HUD approval must still be obtained for a swap of the city's Dogwood Manor for the Poss Home property.
Also, he said, "The city has a $2.5 million shortfall in the transaction that must be dealt with in some fashion."
Howard supporters have long worked to get the property in order to build a new football field and track on the property.
The Poss Homes public housing complex was demolished several years ago.