In an effort to boost public engagement with available housing resources, the City of Chattanooga and City Council Chairwoman Raquetta Dotley, along with local service providers from across the city will host the city’s first affordable housing resource fair. Scheduled for May 1 from 4:30-7 p.m. at the South Chattanooga Community Center, 1151 W. 40th St. in Chattanooga, the fair will connect residents in need with support and resources for buying, renting or repairing a home.
“One Chattanooga is about ensuring every Chattanoogan has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential — and that’s only possible if they have access to a safe, secure home they can afford,” said Chief Housing Officer Nicole Heyman.
“We are working hard to increase affordable housing opportunities across the city, but we also want to ensure residents know about the resources available right now, from down payment support to options for reducing energy bills.”
Fifteen different service agencies and organizations will be available onsite during the fair, offering residents in need a range of resources including eviction prevention support, first-time home buyer assistance and help navigating the housing voucher process.
Landlords who have vacant units in need of repair are also encouraged to attend to learn about the city’s rehab and repair programs, which provide financial resources to housing providers to help repair rental properties in exchange for affordable rental prices.
“Every Chattanoogan deserves access to a home they can afford, and while there are many programs in place across the city to help ensure that’s the case, many residents either don’t know about them or have trouble navigating them on their own,” said City Council Chairwoman Raquetta Dotley. “That’s how the idea for this housing fair first came about, and I’m incredibly grateful to all of our partners across the city who are working together to help make this happen.”
In addition to offering one-on-one assistance to residents and landlords, the fair will also include a panel discussion between Ms. Heyman and five local partners and service providers. Speakers will dive into the details on what affordable housing really means, how the eviction prevention initiative and homebuyer assistance programs work, how to access resources through the Chattanooga Housing Authority and ways to make homes more energy efficient.
Partners:
• AIM Center
• Chattanooga Community Housing Development Organization
• Chattanooga Housing Authority
• Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise
• City of Chattanooga Neighborhood Services
• Consumer Credit Counseling
• EPB • Eviction Prevention Initiative
• Food Bank
• GreenSpaces
• Habitat for Humanity
• Hamilton County Health Department
• Metropolitan Ministries
• Pinnacle
• Truist
• United Way