Chattanooga Mayor Berke, along with Donna C. Williams, administrator of Economic and Community Development, and Bobbie Joe Adamson of Adamson Developers took a tour of neighborhoods in Chattanooga, on Friday, to discuss quality, affordable housing options.
With the upcoming FY2014 city budget, Mayor Berke is funding initiatives like the Affordable Housing Pilot to build stronger neighborhoods.
Through the Affordable Housing Pilot, the city will work to eliminate blight and return city property to the tax rolls. The initiative will reduce vacant city-owned properties by supporting private development to create quality, affordable housing.
“Through this budget, we are working to create safer streets, stronger students and stronger neighborhoods,” said Mayor Berke. “Currently, the city owns a great deal of vacant property. Through this Affordable Housing Pilot, we will partner with developers to turn empty lots – currently a drag on a neighborhood – into new, quality, affordable housing that elevates the entire area.”
The Affordable Housing Pilot will decease blight by reducing the number of residential properties in disrepair, provide needed high quality housing that’s affordable, and promote new construction that will strengthen community development.
Friday’s tour looked at quality affordable housing on North Holly Street in the Bushtown neighborhood as well as Robbins Street in the Churchville neighborhood. The tour ended at a city-owned vacant lot in the Orchard Knob neighborhood that is an example of a property that could one day be a part of the pilot.