The face of public housing in Chattanooga continues to change with the completion of renovations at Cromwell Hills Apartments and redevelopment of units scattered throughout four outdated CHA sites comprising Emerald Villages. Over 200 units were redeveloped and repaired with over $58 million of investment.
Funds for the projects came from a variety of city, state and federal grants, tax credits and loan guarantees. The project began in the fall of 2019 with a goal of improving the quality of affordable housing options within public communities.
Pennrose Senior Vice President Ivy Dench-Carter noted that not even a pandemic could stop the projects from moving forward.
“Planning and implementing renovation and repair projects of this magnitude in the midst of a pandemic might’ve been unattainable for some; however, the commitment and dedication of CHA and their residents was inspiring to all of us working on the project. We found creative work-arounds when needed to keep our teams safely working and stayed focused throughout the last 18 months to get the project done. We’re very proud of the results and share the excitement of residents as they return to places they’ve called home for a long time,” he said.
Located at 3940 Camellia Drive, Cromwell Hills consists of 200 units and 10,726 square feet of community space, including a gymnasium, leasing office and maintenance area. Improvements made to the site include the replacement of siding and upgrades to kitchens and appliances, baths, flooring, HVAC systems, electrical services, plumbing and insulation. New paving and additional parking are now in place and repairs have been made to the community space at the site. In addition to upgraded housing, residents now have access to services including health programs and training to promote self-sufficiency. The cost for the work done at Cromwell was $36,778,307.
In addition to the renovation work at Cromwell, Pennrose also worked with CHA to refurbish Emerald Villages, including 44 units at Missionary Heights, 29 units at Glenwood East, 14 units at Glenwood North and 24 units at Woodside Apartments. The cost for the work done within these units was $21,383,307.
Residents in the communities make less than 60 percent of the average median household income in Chattanooga. They pay up to 30 percent of their income for rent.
CHA executive director Betsy McCright said, “The work we are doing across the city of Chattanooga is a continuation of our goal to expand affordable housing, but it’s more than that. We’re also deploying resources to support early childhood education, post-secondary educational and career path assistance, along with health and financial programs. The people working with CHA provide social capital to address difficult situations before they become insurmountable. This is what truly excites us. Working together, we can help families make their dreams and aspirations a reality which in some cases, results in breaking the cycle of multi-generational poverty.”