Mayor Berke Plans Affordable Housing Fund, Expansion Of Innovation District; Creation Of Council Against Extremism

  • Thursday, April 19, 2018

Mayor Andy Berke, in his annual State of the City Address on Thursday, said he plans to establishing the city’s first Affordable Housing Fund.

He said the city plans to commit $1 million to the fund "that will be used exclusively to aid the creation of affordable and workforce housing throughout Chattanooga. These funds will be used to supplement federal funding, various tax incentives, and special grants utilized by the city of Chattanooga and its private sector partners to promote affordable, high-quality housing."

He said, "Chattanooga’s metropolitan economy is stronger now than at any point in recent history. Our unemployment rate is at 3.6 percent, we’re creating jobs twice as fast as the national economy, we’ve seen the third highest wage growth for a mid-size city, and sales tax revenues are 10 percent higher than they were at this point last year. Growth is good -- but as our city rises, so does the cost of living for many Chattanoogans.

Mayor Berke also said the Innovation District will be further developed.

He said it will involve the redevelopment of several city-owned properties in the district, including the City Hall Annex. This aligns with the goals of the Innovation District framework plan, which was released in March 2018, he said.

The mayor said, "With the opening of the Edney Innovation Center last year, the formation of our MetroLab partnership with the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, and more than $1 billion in new development underway in our downtown core, we have proven that our city can support a thriving technology sector that is built on a vibrant and welcoming urban community. Our challenge now is to keep this momentum going while redoubling our efforts to be as inclusive and equitable as we can. City Government recognizes an opportunity and a responsibility to play a significant role."

He said any potential costs borne by the city of Chattanooga, including any incentives or grants, are unknown at this point and will be determined through a transparent and open RFP process.

Mayor Berke also announced the creation of the Mayor’s Council Against Extremism & Hate (CAEH). He said it is a volunteer committee of citizens and community leaders working together to create an open, tolerant and diverse Chattanooga.

He stated, "Across Tennessee and the rest of the country, incidents of hate-speech and extremismare on the rise. I am committed to creating a Chattanooga that is tolerant and accepting of everyone. This council will address incidents fueled by hatred and extremism and will coordinate closely with local law enforcement, while providing affected communities with the support they need.

Another initiative to adding 1,000 high-quality seats to the Office of Early Learning programs by 2021

It involves continuing the long-term investment in Chattanooga’s youth by improving programs geared toward early learning and investment in teacher training and professional development.

High-quality seats are "places where children get the experiences needed to succeed in their future and families are supported in reaching their goals."

Mayor Berke said, "In 2017, Chattanooga children enrolled in Head Start made 29 percent gains in literacy and math. Whereas we saw 19 percent gains in literacy and 18 percent gains in math two years ago. Families enrolled in our Baby University program have zero percent infant mortality rate. Compared to an 11 percent infant mortality rate for all black babies in Chattanooga, and 10 percent of babies in the targeted zip codes . Additionally, every teen mother enrolled in Baby U is on track to graduate high school. While the drop-out rate for teen mothers nationally is 53 percent. We’re making a lot of progress but we have an obligation and an opportunity to do even more."

He said he intends to ask for financial commitments to training and professional development programs for early childcare providers in the FY 2019 budget, as well as leveraging investments from the private sector, state and federal funding and community collaborations.

He was introduced by principal LaFrederick Thrailkill.

Here is the full speech:

Thank you so much LaFrederick. I wanted a

true creator to introduce me tonight--- and

LaFrederick fits the bill. He has so much on

his plate I don’t know when he sleeps. He’s

there for the kids who need him, yet he’s

also spearheading a project that will use art

to help us remember and make sense of

one of the most horrific acts in our history.

For your leadership and role as a creator,

thank you.

Next, I want thank the most important

people in my life -- my family. Monique,

Hannah, and Orly are the best support

system I could ask for. I couldn’t do this

without them.

Seated by them are my parents, whom I

admire so much, and my little brother,

Cleavon Smith. Cleavon is working

incredibly hard to knock it out of the park at

the end of his sixth grade year, and I know

he’s going to get it done.

To members of the City Council who are

here tonight: it has been a pleasure to

serve with you over the past year. You have

pushed our City to be more transparent,

open, and innovative. Chairman Ken Smith,

Vice Chair Erskine Oglesby, Chip

Henderson, Jerry Mitchell, Darrin Ledford,

Russell Gilbert, Carol Berz, Anthony Byrd,

Demetrus Coonrod -- thank you for serving

your districts and our community with pride.

To Mayor Coppinger -- thank you

recognizing the unique role that the city

plays in moving our region forward. From

your years as a fire chief, to your tenure as

County Mayor -- you have been an

advocate for Chattanooga, and I am proud

to be your partner.

There are many other elected officials here

tonight. I know how much you sacrifice to

do your work. Thank you.

I also want to thank Ken and Byron Defoor

and the entire Westin staff. The building

where we sit tonight had been vacant since

2009, but Ken and Byron saw something

more than an empty gold building

surrounded by vacant storefronts. Their

passion renewed an entire section of our

downtown.

Through their vision, and in partnership with

the City, we have built a public space that

Chattanooga should be proud of. Thank

you to the Defoors and the amazing team

they have assembled for hosting us tonight

and for investing in building a better

Chattanooga.

There are also a number of volunteer board

members and councils here tonight. The

Mayor’s Council for Women, established at

State of the City in 2015, has published

numerous white papers, passed state

legislation, and hosted a statewide policy

conference with over 400 attendees. I want

to thank you for your tireless work. To our

other volunteers -- the Mayor’s Youth

Council, the Mayor’s Council on disabilities,

and many others -- thank you for making

our City stronger through your advocacy

and service.

To our first responders who are here and to

those who are serving in our fire halls or

patrolling our streets tonight -- thank you.

Our firefighters have earned the highest the

possible rating -- one that is shared by only

one half of one percent of the departments

in the country. It is a testament to the hard

work you have put in this year. To our

police officers, who continually put

themselves between the community and

danger -- thank you for your selfless service

to our City.

Finally, to the other Chattanooga City

employees who are here, I am privileged to

serve alongside you. Every day you show

up ready to break down the barriers that

prevent people from living the life they want

in our City. I hear regularly about you going

out of the way to help a neighbor, to offer

outstanding customer service, to find a way

to do your job better. You inspire me with

your commitment to service.

One of the best parts of being Mayor is the

privilege of delivering the State of the City

address. Every year, it is an opportunity to

share a few minutes -- and yes, in some

years, a lot of minutes -- to discuss where

we’ve been, where we are, and where we

need to go so that we leave tonight united

in purpose.

As I thought about what to say this year --

in a time of rapidly growing economic

prosperity and improving quality of life for

most Chattanoogans -- it was clear that

now was not the time to take a victory lap.

Instead, now is the time for definition, to

state clearly who we are, and who we are

capable of being.

So here it is.

Chattanooga is a city of creators. It is at

the core of who we are and who we want to

be.

Our history is of creating places, products,

and people. Chattanoogans who have

driven progress have been, at their cores,

creators. Take our products. More than a

century ago, people thought sodas could

only be dispensed at a fountain. A

Chattanoogan showed the world you could

take that carbonated drink, put it in a glass

bottle, cap it off, and it would still taste like

summer every time it was opened.

Today there are echoes of that spirit in our

innovation district. There, creators are

searching for the next great ideas and

finding success. Whether it is moving

furniture from apartment to apartment,

helping businesses transport heavy

shipments between continents, or writing

software that enables companies to boost

their sales -- our modern day entrepreneurs

follow in the proud Chattanooga tradition of

creators.

And then there are the places. Three

decades ago, as I was graduating high

school, we had a city scarred by job losses

and struggling to recover from the

environmental devastation caused by the

way we treated God’s bounty.

In response, Chattanooga’s leaders looked

at our city through a deep and far-reaching

visioning process, a model admired and

replicated by communities everywhere.

They were creators -- and they helped

others in our community understand that

they were creators too. Together, they

started a renaissance in our city that

continues today.

This story is familiar to us all. With the

assistance of partners like River City

Company, we started by making

transformative changes at the waterfront,

building a vibrant downtown, one that is

rapidly expanding around us.

But this is only part of the story. Creators

have also built out beautiful and vibrant

neighborhoods throughout Chattanooga.

Certainly, since I have been Mayor, we

have witnessed remarkable growth and

change. Just in the last year, we cut the

ribbon on a new Southside Community

Park, which was the vision of residents like

Tony Hare, Rosemary Porter, and Terry

McCullough, who, I want to proudly add, is

a city Public Works employee. On our most

recent MLK Day of Service, I stood side by

side with Eastdale families as we painted a

beautiful mural that now graces the Wilcox

Tunnel. It joins another mural, in Milliken

Park at 45th and Central, created through

neighborhood input, which we unveiled with

neighbors last December.

We’re also improving the corridors that

connect our community. The rejuvenation of

Martin Luther King Boulevard over the last

few years is one great example, as creators

have changed that district from the inside

out and from the bottom up. Whether it’s

the local stories told on the Southeast’s

largest mural, the new businesses

flourishing, or the apartments popping up

everywhere, we are witnessing a

transformation on this street.

A few weeks ago, after our repaving project

was completed -- on-budget and ahead of

schedule-- I strolled down the boulevard

and was amazed by what I saw: people

walking, visiting shops and restaurants. At

every stop, someone told me about how

great it was to be located on MLK

Boulevard in 2018.

Our institutions are finding new life too.

Befitting the change in our environmental

story, the Chattanooga airport, which has

grown from just over three hundred

thousand tickets a few years ago to four

hundred eighty-five thousand last year, will

soon be the first net zero energy airport in

the country, and one of only four in the

world. And most of you have experienced

the amazing makeover at the Tivoli and

Memorial Theaters. A few years ago, in one

of many great ideas to emerge from the

Chattanooga Forward process, we

transferred those assets from city

government to a newly formed foundation.

Since then, those venues have hosted a

five hundred seventy percent increase in

events and more than doubled the

concession revenue.

Behind the numbers, though, are the many

Chattanoogans dancing to a song they

love; watching a musical they’ve been

waiting for years to see; making a special

memory with friends and family.

In every corner of our city, creators are

making and remaking Chattanooga

everyday. While products have aided our

economic development and others cities

hail our places, we should not forget the

real source of these achievements:

Chattanoogans -- young and old -- who

were inspired to dream, to build, to disrupt

the status quo. And I’m not just talking

about artists and tech moguls.

At the Mayor’s Youth Council last week, I

watched Jymon Scott play a video he had

made about child support. This young man

had interviewed mothers, fathers, and

attorneys, so he could teach his peers

about child support obligations and the

ramifications for failing to pay it. Jymon is a

creator.

Or Rachel McClellan and Ash Robinson. As

young moms, they decided to start their

own business leading yoga and exercise

classes for the mothers of newborns. In

those first few months after giving birth, a

mom could bring her stroller to a park and

do some stretching and working out, and,

by the way, meet a couple of peers who

might one day give crucial support and

advice. Rachel and Ash are creators.

There’s 9 year old -- that’s right, 9 year old

-- Mikayla Sanders, who founded the Black

Inventors Traveling museum, which

showcases how African American inventors

have affected everyday life. Man, do I feel

like a late bloomer. Her exhibit now tours so

others can experience it. Mikayla is a

creator.

There are Kevin Adams, and Doug

Fairbanks, and Ternae Jordan, and Brad

Whitaker, and Susie Tendler, and Carlos

Williams, and many, many others, whose

pews I have sat in, taking in their sermons,

mixing the Bible, homespun wisdom, and

music into an amazing message. These

faith leaders are all creators.

There’s Donna Chambers. Donna’s

grandson suffers from autism, and she read

that weighted blankets could help comfort

him. So she made one for him and -- when

her grandson loved it -- realized others

could benefit from the same thing. Donna

was living in a mobile home in Lookout

Valley, not dreaming of building a business

empire, but she wanted to help others in the

same situation. She put up a website to

take orders for weighted blankets and

forgot about it. Soon, though, the orders

began piling in, she grew from a one person

operation in her home to a seventeen

employee small business called

SensaCalm.

Donna is a creator.

There’s the Baby University mom -- let’s

call her Janel. Janel suffers from

depression, but our Baby U specialist

started her with a therapist, where she’s

working to express her thoughts and

feelings. She’s been reluctant to seek a job

because she doesn’t have work appropriate

clothes. Baby U stepped in and made sure

she had 3 interview-ready dresses. Having

gained some confidence, Janel applied for

a job, nailed the interview, and now proudly

goes to work each day. For herself and for

her baby, Janel is most certainly a creator.

I could go on and on. Here’s the point. In

every nook and cranny of our city, far and

wide, there are creators. Jymon, Rachel,

Ash, Kevin, Mikayla, Janel, and Donna --

they are educating their peers, building new

businesses, linking people with their faith,

transforming families and fortunes, creating

life-changing opportunities. They’re

resourceful, they’re efficient, they’re

decisive, and they’re moving our city

forward.

After all, creativity isn’t an entitlement, and

it isn’t handed to you when you’ve got all

the resources in the world. To the contrary

-- and as people in this city know all too well

-- creativity is revealed in the wisdom and in

the work ethic of people who feel a

responsibility to do big things -- no matter

what.

But even those amazing people often don’t

recognize that power that lies within. Today,

if we asked Jymon and Rachel and Doug

whether they think of themselves as

creators, I don’t know what they would say.

As a city, let’s make sure that tomorrow

they know they are.

Because when we think of ourselves as

creators, we understand we possess the

power to change our lives and our city.

Creating is not someone else’s

responsibility; it belongs to each of us. But

our creativity is not static. With purpose and

intention, we can empower every

Chattanoogan.

How do we do that? We put our money --

and our efforts -- where our mouths are.

Take affordable housing. Right now our

economy is thriving. Last year we created

new jobs at double the national average.

Our unemployment rate is lower than the

country’s as a whole, and our wage growth

is one of the highest in the nation for a

mid-sized city. That means even those at

the bottom of the economic ladder are

doing better, which is why we are at our

lowest level of poverty in more than a

decade.

I’m proud of Chattanooga’s success and I’m

eager to see things get even better. But I

know all this positive news also means

costs continue to rise. If you have been left

out of our growing prosperity, you are falling

even further behind.

So we are taking action on a number of

fronts. A few years ago, at State of the City,

I announced a goal to end veterans

homelessness in Chattanooga, and last

year we became one of the few cities to

achieve it. So earlier this year we formed a

new Interagency Council on Homelessness

to use what we’ve learned to tackle the

broader problem.

One lesson is clear: our community needs

more affordable housing, particularly near

our job centers. Federal and state

governments continue to reduce funding

that cities use to make affordable housing

possible, leaving us with fewer avenues to

build more units. The problems haven’t

gone away, but the money has, leaving

places like Chattanooga in a lurch.

It is time for our city to do more.

A city of creators understands we need

housing that connects our residents to

opportunity. To make sure more units are

constructed, city government will launch a

new affordable housing trust and seed it

with one million dollars. This investment will

significantly expand our existing resources

aimed at affordable housing. As more

people feel the security that comes from

having an affordable place to call home,

where they can make it to work and back in

a reasonable time, we can grow incomes

and career paths in our city.

As part of that push to prosperity, we will

need the jobs of tomorrow. That’s a central

reason why I announced we would form a

new Innovation District at State of the City

in 2014.

Over the last several years, the Innovation

District has become one of the great

modern Chattanooga success

stories.Entrepreneurs, artists, non-profits,

students -- even the occasional government

employee -- all of them are collaborating in

the blocks around the Edney. A fully

reimagined and restored Miller Park is set

to open soon, bringing even more vitality to

the heart of our city.

I believe we are seeing only the first stage

in what the Innovation District can do for

Chattanoogans; we still have tremendous

potential for growth. Some terrific regional

institutions are stepping up to the

challenge: EPB -- one of the best, most

progressive utility companies in the world

under David Wade at the helm. UTC --

which under Chancellor Angle’s leadership

is rising to new heights and investing in key

areas like smart cities. Oak Ridge National

Lab, which chose the Innovation District to

open the first office outside a national lab

campus in the country.

We know we can do more.

That’s why we put together a plan to take

the Innovation District to the next level.

After dozens of meetings with hundreds of

stakeholders and public input, a clear vision

for the future emerged. Anyone can see the

plan we developed on the Enterprise

Center’s website.

A key component of our strategy is equity.

Innovation runs on talent, which develops in

our city when given the chance. While we

certainly welcome the many people moving

here, we also want homegrown

Chattanoogans filling the high paying jobs

that are opening up here. That means

everyone should feel at home in our

Innovation District -- not just coders and

developers -- a point brought home

forcefully in the plan.

A city of creators makes bold plans -- and

then we execute on them. That’s why we

will begin working immediately on the

proposal to use the buildings and lots

owned by city government in service of a

growing, inclusive Innovation District. For

example, one lot was identified as a

potential site for low income housing,

another as additional space for new

companies. While we will put many of the

plan’s recommendations into action, this

first step shows city government will

certainly do its part to make sure

Chattanoogans can participate in the

economy of the future.

The people who build houses and

companies are often thought of creators --

but those patrolling our streets right now

are also creating a better Chattanooga by

ensuring more neighborhoods feel safe.

Over the last few years, we have made

great strides in reducing violence. Much of

our success comes from important

investments in our police department. At a

record high of 500 sworn personnel, we

now have more capacity to build up our

gun-reduction and intelligence units.

We have also upgraded our technology,

and our Real Time Intelligence Center --

announced at State of the City in 2016 -- is

being put to good use, helping us identify

perpetrators of violence.

While much of the public safety

responsibility falls on our officers, we don’t

leave it to them alone. Our Citizen Safety

Coalition meets regularly to take good

intentions and turn them into action.

Whether it is getting churches involved or a

sponsoring a neighborhood basketball

game, an approach that involves everyone

creates a safer city in the long run. That

same idea has led us to a more victim

centered approach to law enforcement. Our

police officers spend more time than ever

caring about what happens to victims after

a crime is committed. Through the Family

Justice Center and our Community and

Police Response to Victims of Violence, we

turn victims into survivors.

More sworn officers and technology. A

department set up for success. Community

involvement. Support for victims. These

enhancements make the Violence

Reduction Initiative as effective as possible.

VRI started with the idea that there are no

bad streets or bad neighborhoods. Instead,

there are a small number of people causing

much of the gun violence in our city, and we

should focus on them.

It’s paying off.

Last year our gang shootings were down

thirty percent; in the first quarter of this

year, they are down more than thirty

percent again. We saw zero murders in the

month of March; last year we went more

than sixty consecutive days without a

homicide. Recently, while pursuing an

investigation into one gang, our police

department was able to clear six unsolved

homicides in one week. These are

tremendous accomplishments.

However, there remains too much conflict in

our city and our country, damaging far too

many lives.

A few years ago, we witnessed a mass

shooting that claimed the lives of five

American heroes. Unfortunately, our

community is not alone in experiencing the

tragic impact of hate. Last summer in

Charlottesville, the year before in Orlando --

the list goes on and on.

The FBI recently released a report showing

hate crimes are up nationally. I wish I could

say our state is the exception, but the

numbers in Tennessee reflect the necessity

of tackling this problem. Our state ranks

ninth in total number of hate crimes in the

US.

This hits us all at home, too. I have two

teenage daughters, and, like all parents,

Monique and I worry about the hate that

lights up across smartphones on a minute

by minute basis.

A city of creators will find new ways to

combat hatred, especially when it leads to

violence and tears apart the social fabric of

our community. The solutions will come

from purposeful discussion and pragmatic

action.

To prompt solutions over conflict, I am

announcing a new council against hate.

The council will define the scope of the

problem and push new ideas to stop

violence. After July 16, 2015, our city was

held up as a model of how to respond to

terrorism. We can also be a model of how

to stop the hate that inspires it in the first

place.

Building this kind of city never stops. For us

to continue to have the future generations

necessary to drive our civic, cultural, and

economic life, we must invest in families

and the young creators they nurture.

For the past few years, Chattanooga has

been at the forefront of creating an entirely

new kind of early learning system. Not a

scattered program here and there --

instead, a comprehensive way to help

children get off to a great start.

Our office of early learning has overseen a

number of critical investments. One

standout has been Baby University, which I

also announced at a past State of the City.

This keystone initiative helps families find

solutions because when moms and dads

have more time, resources, and knowledge

about how to help their children, their sons

and daughters are better off.

Just a couple quick facts show you what a

difference it makes. Of the 154 families who

have enrolled, not one has suffered infant

mortality. 29 percent of families were

self-sufficient in employment when they

started; now 63 percent are. And we have

had 29 teen moms sign up after they got

pregnant. While the national dropout rate

for teen moms is 47 percent, every single

Baby U teen mom -- has graduated or is on

track to.

We know a lot of Chattanooga families are

caught in the middle-- making too much

money to qualify for state aid but not

enough to pay for early learning

themselves. For them, we created early

learning scholarships so that their children

would not have to miss out. When our

standout partners like Chambliss Children’s

Center have looked to expand, we have

supported them.

We have focused intently on improving the

quality of our Head Start programs, and

we’re seeing great results there too.As we

invest in teacher education and a top notch

curriculum, these kids have experienced

greater gains in literacy and math, giving

them a much stronger likelihood of success.

A city of creators invests in the next

generation and the families that support

their growth. When all families are stronger

and children in every zip code have a fair

shot, we will all enjoy a more resilient and

more prosperous future.

That’s why tonight, I am setting a new goal.

Between now and the time I leave office,

we will create 1000 additional high quality

early learning slots in our city.

To achieve this outcome, we all need to

work together. We have terrific partners in

Chattanooga 2.0, and we will need their

help. This year’s budget will include some

specific plans for creating new slots for kids

in our community as well as turning some

existing ones into high quality options for

parents.

I know we can do it. It’s the success story of

our city.

Chattanooga has accomplished so much

since I was kid. We are celebrated for our

products and places, and we should be

recognized for our people as well.

But a city of creators is not passive, and we

don’t rely on others to do the work for us.

Creation is power. When we realize that we

all possess that power -- and we are

intentional about what we can do with it, in

our homes, in our churches and schools, in

our workplaces and neighborhoods -- we

can accomplish anything. This is what

Chattanooga does. This is who

Chattanoogans are.

I have seen it in action, and so have you.

And not only in a few people who are

justifiably recognized for their investment,

encouragement and hard work in making

great things happen in our city.

But the spirit, drive and determination of

Chattanoogans exists everywhere, in every

neighborhood, of every race, gender,

income, and sexual orientation; in the

firefighters, teachers, activists and

neighborhood leaders who fill this room; in

the young children you may see at home

when you leave tonight, and in the people

taking care of them while you’re gone.

After all, creation is at our core. Tonight, I

am reminded of the first sentence of the

Bible: In the beginning, God created the

heaven and the earth.

God is the creator. And we are all created

in his image. So when we proclaim

ourselves as a city of creators, we claim a

higher purpose. Not solely to create a great

city, but to unleash the creative will and

capacity of his entire creation.

So over the next year, ask yourself how you

can build and invest in a city of creators.

You’ve heard a few ideas tonight from me,

but there is much more we can do to inspire

our fellow Chattanoogans. Leading up to

this speech, I have listened to many ideas

from the community about how to expand a

city of creators. Over the next few months,

we will share this message in every

neighborhood and among every family and

every person.

All of us are creators, made in God’s image.

The state of our city is strong because of

you. We will be at our best when each and

every one of you feels the power and

potential of your awesome abilities.

Thank you.

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