August 28, 2023

Affordable Housing Search Tool, Eviction Prevention Initiative, and More

GENERAL HIGHLIGHTS

• The Mayor’s office has created an affordable housing search tool. You can read more about it here.

AUGUST 22 CITY COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

The Agenda Session recording can be found here.

• The council heard a presentation on proposed changes to the Employee Information Guide.
• The council heard a presentation on the Eviction Prevention Initiative (EPI).
  • After the initial pilot period managed by the Community Foundation, the EPI will be moving under the management of Legal Aid of East Tennessee.
  • The EPI helped prevent eviction for 112 families in 2022, and 160 so far in 2023.
  • The EPI helped landlords secure ~$400k to offset missed rent.
• The council heard a presentation regarding a proposed Social and Economic Equity Study, to be completed by UTC with a proposed cost of ~$19k.

The Business Session recording can be found here.

• The council approved an ordinance amending the General Pension Plan (final reading).
• The council voted on a number of rezoning cases (final reading, see minutes for full details).
• The council confirmed the appointments of Toccora Johnson-Petersen and Joyce Jackson to the Head Start Governing Board.
• The council will vote on a number of Public Works contracts (see agenda for full details).
• The council approved 4 routine purchases.
• Four citizens addressed the council. You can watch the full comments here.

The meeting minutes can be found here.

AUGUST 29 CITY COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

The Proposed Meeting Agenda can be found here.

• The council will vote on a number of rezoning requests and Right of Way closures (see agenda for full details).
• The council will vote on the appointment of Anne Fricker to the Animal Control Board.
• The council will vote on an agreement with the Chattanooga Housing Authority to rapidly rehouse formerly homeless individuals for an amount not to exceed $100k.
• The council will vote on changes to the Employee Information Guide.
• The council will vote on the waiver of $8.5k in park rental fees in support of the Three Sisters Bluegrass Festival.
• The council will vote to apply for and, if awarded, accept a $125k grant from the Benwood Foundation for the National Park City Initiative and the Miller Park Improvement Project.
• The council will vote to accept a donation of playground equipment and installation from PlayCor for Harris Johnson Park, and provide matching funds not to exceed $95k.
• The council will vote on a ~$95k joint funding agreement with the US Geological Survey to operate real-time stream gauges on local creeks.
• The council will not meet on September 5, in observance of Labor Day.