U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-3) announced Tuesday an appropriation of $3 million to be used in the Westside community, Chattanooga’s oldest public housing neighborhood. Built in 1940, the community is home to more than 1,500 households whose median income is less than $15,000 annually. The area has a poverty rate of 87 percent and has experienced a 40 percent increase in domestic violence and a 65 percent increase in violent crime since the start of the pandemic, officials said.
Westside Evolves, a collaborative neighborhood planning initiative led by the Chattanooga Housing Authority, Chattanooga Design Studio, City of Chattanooga, Westside residents, and other stakeholders, has been working since 2020 on plans to provide one-for-one housing replacements.
Members of the planning team met with Rep. Fleischmann last winter to share the plan for the area and to ask for consideration of funding. The funds will be used for the planning and renovation of the James A. Henry School and Shelia Jennings Parky. Once complete, the center will house 100 Head Start seats for three-to-five year-olds living in the area along with classrooms for training, a health clinic, and other social, recreational, and educational opportunities.
Rep. Fleischmann said, “Making these funds available will provide a foundation for the future of Chattanooga’s oldest public housing community. The programs and educational efforts they will be able to offer in the renovated school will provide a pathway to a sustainable future for many of the families living there. I am pleased to provide dollars that will literally transform the future for so many.”
As the request for the federal appropriation was being developed, the Westside Evolves planning team was also developing requests for the city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County.
CHA Executive Director Betsy McCright said, “The Transformation Plan sets a vision, goals and priorities for the long-term future of the Westside neighborhood. The plan lays out an ambitious long-term road map for the equitable, sustainable and holistic revitalization of the community with extensive input from the families who live there.”
County Commissioner Warren Mackey said, “The future of Westside is being driven by residents, many of whom have multi-generational ties to the community. Over 82 percent of the residents in the Westside participated in surveys to guide the planning efforts. The renovation of the James A. Henry school and the Shelia Jennings Park is a significant first step; however, the process is far from complete. We look forward to seeing the CHA maximize the investment being provided to apply for a successful HUD Choice Neighborhoods grant later this year.”
The CHA plans to begin working on the project immediately.
Also, officials said the Associated General Contractors of East Tennessee have made a significant investment in a new construction career academy that will provide training leading to family-wage jobs for graduates of the program. While the academy is available across the county, the AGC recently announced that they would be providing transportation from East Ridge and The Howard School for students entering the program.
AGC CEO Leslie Gower said, “The AGC is excited that students have this type of high-level vocational training that will lead to lucrative careers right out of the program. Developing construction skills will provide a strong foundation for the future; however, what excites us for our Howard students is that once they graduate, they will be able to be hired for construction projects within their home community.”
Ms. McCright said, “The AGC is offering a program for adults as well. We are excited to partner with the AGC in making our residents aware of the opportunities for them to learn skills that will be transformational for their families. By developing these skills, many of our residents will be able to develop a path to self-sufficiency and for us, there’s nothing better than knowing we’ve assisted in providing a way forward to so many who’ve lived in public housing.”
She added, “The timing of this partnership couldn’t be better. Imagine having the skills to obtain immediate employment that will allow you to work on a construction project within your own neighborhood? Our graduates will be well prepared for the future, but more than that, they will be well prepared to break generational poverty that exists in public housing. For us, this is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our residents and for our communities. We are grateful for the AGC’s long-term commitment.”