The Unity Group is asking City Council candidates to back an anti-displacement policy that would have officials examine a proposed project to see if it displaces current residents.
The group is also urging that the City Council meeting time be moved back to 6 p.m.
The Unity Group said: The March 2025 city election early voting period is currently ongoing through February 27th , and the general election is scheduled for March 4th. Over the past few months, the Unity Group has engaged key stakeholders and community members to discuss the issues at hand. While we deeply respect the dedication and responsibility of those running for office, it has become clear that the current conversations are not addressing some of the key areas of concern that matter most to voters, particularly in the City Council races. We have identified several of these critical issues that we believe deserve greater focus and indepth discussion. Many are central to the future well-being and sustainability of our city, and we believe they must be a priority in the ongoing election discourse. Only through a thoughtful, comprehensive examination of these topics can we ensure that the City Council, Chattanooga elected officials, and staff are better equipped to uplift and support all of our communities effectively.
ADEQUACY OF HOUSING
The adequacy of housing is one of the more pressing issues we face as a community. The spatial vulnerability that arises for some individuals due to market contradictions must be understood as a central issue in fair housing today, in line with the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, which mandates that public policies and actions actively combat housing discrimination and promote equitable access to housing. The fair housing concept has always been concerned with the limited housing choices available to local residents who might face discrimination, particularly those targeted by racial bias and other forms of inequality.
Correspondingly, in 2023, Chattanooga developed a Housing Action Plan to help address this concern. However, the plan falls short in several key areas that must be addressed in order to make real progress. One glaring oversight in the Chattanooga Housing Plan is the lack of anti-displacement remedies. As we look to building a more inclusive and equitable city, it is crucial to ensure that the developments we support do not come at the cost of displacing, or distressing, the very people who have lived here for years, if not, generations. Recently community groups in East Chattanooga and Eastdale have questioned the benefits of such development.
To address this, we can look to the City of Louisville, where on November 9, 2023, the city passed a groundbreaking Anti-Displacement Law. This ordinance is a powerful step toward protecting vulnerable neighborhoods, particularly those at risk of gentrification. It requires developers to assess the impact their projects will have on the community, ensuring that resources - such as public land and financial incentives - aren’t used to push long-time residents out.
The law also establishes an Anti-Displacement Commission, made up of members from atrisk neighborhoods, to serve as a watchdog, holding city officials accountable and advocating for policies that protect residents from being displaced. This law doesn’t just help preserve affordable housing; it ensures that the voices of long-standing community members are heard and respected, especially when large-scale developers come into the picture.
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL
In addition to Louisville’s legislative approach, Boston University’s Initiative on Cities (IOC) has developed an anti-displacement tool that offers another way to protect vulnerable communities. The tool is designed to assess the potential risks of displacement caused by new development. It works by gathering key details of a proposed project - such as the number of housing units, projected rent prices, and the characteristics of the surrounding area - and running them through a model that evaluates the likelihood of displacement. Based on the displacement risk, the tool helps determine whether a development project meets specific requirements, like including affordable housing units, to mitigate that risk.
This tool isn’t designed to stop development altogether. Instead, it’s a mechanism to guide responsible development that allows neighborhoods to grow without pushing out the people who have called them home. It also ensures that new development projects have a balanced approach and include strategies to preserve housing affordability, helping to avoid the negative impacts of gentrification. Based on these findings, the Unity Group calls for the City of Chattanooga to develop its own anti-displacement ordinance and adopt tools like the one created by Boston University to assess the potential impact of future development projects. This is crucial for ensuring that growth and development in Chattanooga do not come at the expense of the people who have lived here for generations. By taking these steps, we can create a city that grows responsibly, preserves affordable housing, and uplifts our communities without pushing anyone out.
PUBLIC LAND DISPOSITION POLICY
Another major gap in the Chattanooga Housing Plan is the absence of a Public Land Disposition Policy. This type of policy ensures that public land is used to benefit the community, particularly vulnerable populations, rather than just private interests. A well-designed policy would prioritize affordable housing, community spaces, and sustainable development, while also preventing displacement of low-income residents. It would require transparency in land transfers, ensuring community input and accountability throughout the process. Anti-displacement measures such as tenant protections and long-term affordability requirements would help prevent long-standing residents from being pushed out as the city grows.
By maximizing public benefit and prioritizing the public good, a Public Land Disposition Policy would ensure that public land is used responsibly, not just for private development. Notwithstanding, the Unity Group calls for the immediate development of such a policy as a key component of Chattanooga’s housing strategy to safeguard the well-being of our community and ensure that growth benefits all council districts and communities. It’s not enough to just build more housing or develop for the sake of development. We need to build a framework that recognizes the concentrated poverty that many of our resident’s face. We need to understand and address the underlying social vulnerabilities that are reflected in the Social Vulnerability Index, such as limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. These are the factors that hold communities back, and any housing plan must consider them if we are to sustain communities and uplift the people who live in them.
The "Build the Housing Ecosystem" section of the Housing Action Plan includes some promising recommendations, such as: (1) Fully funding and strategically utilizing Chattanooga’s Housing Trust Fund ; (2) Creating a new, clear public land disposition policy and process.(3) Updating the local tax increment financing (TIF) policy to include an affordable housing requirement; (4) Revising zoning (inclusionary zoning) regulations and development approval processes to support more equitable growth. (5) Increasing city staffing capacity to meet the needs of existing and future housing programs. These recommendations could be of tremendous benefit if implemented fully and effectively. However, as of now, many of them have yet to be acted upon. There is also a significant lack of transparency surrounding the Chattanooga Housing Fund and the Chattanooga Land Bank. Questions persist, such as: How many public lands are available? What is the process for acquiring these lands? And what are the criteria for transferring public land and properties?
FOOD APARTHEID AND SUPERMARKET REDLINING Similarly, some of these same marginalized and disadvantaged communities are experiencing food apartheid and supermarket redlining, a direct result of systemic disinvestment in minority neighborhoods. The closure of key grocery stores, many of which also had pharmacies and offered vital health services, has left residents without access to healthy food and essential healthcare. These closures are not mere market-based decisions but reflect deeper, long-standing inequities and inadequacies, rooted in interlocking injustices like disinvestment, gentrification, and public policy that have marginalized communities for decades. What we are witnessing is not just a food desert, but a crisis where the lack of resources perpetuates inequality and healthy living options, leaving residents to rely on extended travel, resilience and ingenuity to mitigate the harm caused by this deliberate exclusion and societal detriment.
RECREATIONAL CENTERS
The mission and purpose of our recreational centers is also an issue where more should focus should be given. In past years, recreational centers have been considered safe zones and sources for early literacy for children, and gathering places for other community events. The potential use of buildings and spaces, adequate staffing, and city-community partnerships are all areas that warrants greater discussion. Likewise, numerous community members have stressed concerns over limited programming for children and seniors as compared to year's past. Several things come to mind such as fields for extracurricular activities such as baseball, programs such as the Chattanooga Aquatic Project, and an adequate space for our seniors. Notwithstanding, the state and status of the rec. centers are something that both benefits and enhances our communities.
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND SUPPORT OF VICTIMS
Gun violence is another issue that is of great concern. Currently, there are over 400 million guns on the streets of America. Each day, 125 people die because of gun violence. The victims and their families are left to deal with the devastating aftermath. That's why we need immediate action. We need universal background checks for all gun sales, closing dangerous loopholes like the Charleston Loophole, and extreme risk laws to remove guns from those who pose a threat. We also need stronger regulations on assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and ensuring that guns are stored securely to keep them out of the wrong hands. We must protect our schools, like the tragedy at Covenant School in Nashville in 2023, and our college campuses, from the threat of gun violence. In addition, we must pass the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act; the Break the Cycle of Violence Act; and ensure funding from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) in order to support the survivors of gun violence. Many are often overlooked and get little to no support, yet, are the very best advocates we have in repairing the pain and heartaches caused by gun violence. It is often these tireless advocates in our marginalized communities, many grieving mothers, who need our greatest aide and support because it's these individuals and groups that have experienced the most harm. Correspondingly, the Violence Policy Center's 2022 data on Black homicide victimization highlights significant racial disparities.
Black victims made up 54.1% of all homicide victims, despite being 13.6% of the U.S. population. The homicide rate for Black victims was 29.0 per 100,000, nearly four times the national rate. Black males had a homicide rate of 50.5 per 100,000, over four times the male average, and Black females had a rate of 8.2 per 100,000, nearly three times the female average. Firearms were used in 87.4% of Black homicides, and most victims (76.5%) were killed by someone they knew. These figures emphasize ongoing violence and disparities within the Black community that we all must work together to resolve. Nevertheless, while we could cite other issues such as the need for more crime and violence reduction strategies, and the need for a new Wilcox Tunnel because the current tunnel is an imminent safety hazard, there are two other issues candidates should be mindful of.
CITY CHARTER ORDINANCE IMPRACTICAL
First, while we don’t outright oppose the proposed City Charter Amendment in theory, but as of this time, we cannot be in favor of it. Our rationale is multi-layered. Primarily, there has not been adequate public education and outreach, which stresses why there is a need for such an amending of the Charter. Many residents have sought clarity with us on this subject, and our reply is that those who are in favor have not taken the opportunity to clearly convey why it's needed. It’s also disingenuous to imply that we have done all we could to recruit young people and residents in our state and local community, those invested in this area the most. It seems that youth education and outreach, collaborative partnerships with colleges and recruitment centers across the state, and increasing the competitive salary and benefits, would be more prudent measures to first utilize. Until we have had that extensive public education and outreach, and incorporate some of the prudent measures we have outlined, we cannot be in favor of amending the City Charter at this time on this issue.
RESTORE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TIME
Finally, we believe that the hallowed halls of our elected bodies are solemn and sacred public spaces. It is where citizens go to get an up-close view and witness if our institutions are operating both effectively and sufficiently. There are terms and definitions synonymous with this such as the will of the people; good of the whole; consent of the governed. Whether it is city hall, the County Commission, or Congress, these are the people’s houses. Many align with first amendment rights such as the right to free speech, the right to peacefully assemble, and the right to petition. The Founding Fathers did not place these enumerated rights “first” by accident. The decision of the City Council to have inconsistent public meeting times greatly hinders and undermines those very rights.
We choose to exercise one of those rights now, and humbly petition all candidates for Chattanooga City elected office to commit to restoring the council meeting time to 6 p.m. This ensures that the people are an active participant in the democratic process.
This would be the framework for the Anti-Displacement Policy:
§ 169.05 ANTI-DISPLACEMENT COMMISSION; ESTABLISHMENT, PURPOSE AND MEMBERS. § 169.04 DISPLACEMENT ASSESSMENT.
(A) Beginning six months from the effective date of this chapter, any proposed development that
(a) contains a residential component,
(b) is located within the jurisdiction of the local government, and
(c) is not developing land that, at the time the development is proposed, is a bona fide farming operation, which seeks to utilize local resources as part of the development, must undergo a displacement assessment to determine if residents are at risk of displacement because of the proposed development.
(B) The displacement assessment form will be created by an accredited research department within an academic institution selected by the Office of Housing and Community Development and to be approved by the local governing body, with an anticipated appropriation for the creation of the form of not more than $50,000. The Office of Housing and Community Development will work with the selected academic institution to create a results matrix indicating when a development would be ineligible for local resources, based on the results of the assessment. Prior to the form and results matrix being used, the displacement assessment form and results matrix shall be presented to, and approved by, the local governing body. Such a form will include, but not be limited to, the following information: the developer's name, contact information, email address, phone number, address of proposed development, estimated construction start and end dates, and must be signed by the developer.
(1) The displacement assessment shall also include information regarding
(i) for rental property, the proposed rent, compared to the most recent applicable small area fair market rent, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, for the development's zip code,
(ii) for non-rental property, the proposed price point, compared to the most recent applicable median assessed value for residential property, as listed by the local Property Valuation Administrator for the specific neighborhood the development is located in. The proposed rent or price point must be deemed affordable housing, according to the housing needs of the market area in accordance with the most recent applicable Housing Needs Assessment.
(2) The information in the displacement assessment shall be submitted to, and reviewed and verified by, the Office. The displacement assessment shall contain a line for the signature of the person who reviewed and verified the displacement assessment and shall be signed by that person.
(3) Once the information in the displacement assessment has been reviewed and verified by the Office, the results will be attached to any legislation relating to the development that is the subject of the displacement assessment prior to a vote on the legislation by the local governing body.
§ 169.05 ANTI-DISPLACEMENT COMMISSION; ESTABLISHMENT, PURPOSE AND MEMBERS.
(A) There is hereby created the Anti-Displacement Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission.
(B) The Commission is hereby established for the following purposes:
(1) To periodically review how the displacement assessment program is being implemented, and based on that review, to provide recommendations to the Mayor and the local governing body as to any needed amendments to this chapter.
(2) To review results of any investigation by the Human Relations Commission or another local agency into discriminatory practices by either local government or third parties against households or businesses located within the jurisdiction, subject to applicable law, and based on that review, to provide recommendations to the Mayor and the local governing body as to needed amendments to this chapter.
(3) To review any findings by the Human Relations Commission, either directly by the Human Relations Commission or any administrative body to which the Human Relations Commission referred its investigation for a decision, that conclude, in a final order or decision, that local government discriminated against households or businesses located within the jurisdiction, and based upon that review, refer such discriminated households or businesses to local government programs that are either local in scope, or include the applicable neighborhood, for one or more of the following, as applicable: (a) Home and commercial property down payment assistance; (b) Home repair funds; (c) Property reunification; and
(d) Any other programs that may be created by local government to provide assistance to households and businesses against gentrification. Such referred households or businesses shall have priority for those programs, unless the program specifically identifies another geographic area as having priority, in which case, such referred households or businesses shall have second priority.
(4) To partner with the local Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the Office on updating the Housing Needs Assessment every five years.
(C) The Commission shall consist of nine voting members and three ex officio non-voting members as follows:
(1) The nine voting members shall be appointed by the Mayor, and approved by the local governing body, and shall consist of individuals from the Displacement Risk Areas.
(2) The following shall serve as ex officio and non-voting members of the Commission:
(a) One representative from the Office appointed by the Mayor; and
(b) One representative from the Human Relations Commission appointed by the Mayor, and (c) One representative from the Department of Economic Development appointed by the Mayor.
(D) Members shall serve without compensation.
(E) Appointments should reflect the requirements set forth in this Section and not the general diversity requirements contained in the applicable code.
(F) Appointments should reflect the average percentage of renters and homeowners in the Displacement Risk Areas.
(G) Members who are residents representing a Displacement Risk Area must have lived in any Displacement Area for at least seven collective years prior to the date of appointment and must maintain their primary residence in their neighborhood during the term of their appointment. If the member ceases to maintain primary residence in the Displacement Area, they must resign.
(H) Appointments shall ensure that no appointee is employed as a real estate developer. All members of the Commission shall be required to disclose any personal or family commercial interest relevant to land use, new development supply, or new development construction. The disclosure shall be a written, signed statement of the general nature of the member's interest.
(I) The appointment term of each Commission member shall be three years, except for initial appointment terms, which shall be staggered as follows: three members appointed to one-year terms, three members appointed to two-year terms, and three members appointed to three-year terms.
(J) Members may serve two consecutive terms. Members of the initial Commission or subsequent members who have rotated off the Commission may be considered for reappointment no sooner than three years from the expiration of their final consecutive term and may only serve one additional three-year term upon reappointment.
(K) All members shall serve until their successor is appointed and qualified. In filling vacancies prior to the expiration of the stated term of membership, the appointment of a successor shall be for only the remainder of the unexpired term.
(L) The Commission shall meet not less than twice annually in a space provided by local government, preferably in a space located in a Displacement Risk Area.
(M) A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meetings of the Commission.
(N) The Commission shall adopt bylaws and other rules as it deems necessary for its organization and proceedings consistent with the laws, ordinances, and resolutions of the jurisdiction and local government.
(O) The Commission is subject to applicable Open Meetings and Open Records laws.
(P) A member may be removed from office by the Mayor or local governing body for misconduct, incapacity, or willful neglect of duty. The Mayor must submit a written statement to the member setting forth the reasons for removal.
(Q) Staff assistance to the Commission shall be provided by the Office and the Human Relations Commission.