Chattanooga to Get Millions for Housing Crisis

Cities all over the U.S are suffering from countless foreclosures soon many of them will get part of 3.8 billion dollars in refuge thanks to the Fair Housing Act.

Dr. Everlena Holmes, "I was in Arizona where people out there are just leaving their homes. So Chattanooga is just a drop in the bucket."

Dr. Everlena Holmes is a member of Chattanooga's Glenwood Neighborhood Association. Today she listened with other neighborhood association members as Tennessee's Department of Urban Development explained how neighborhoods like hers may benefit from the 2.1 million dollars the city will get.

The fair housing act allotted the money for cities where foreclosures were above 3 percent. Chattanooga's foreclosure rate is 4.

"I think that the most important thing is its not just about foreclosed homes. There are many things city's can do and will do," says Mark Brezina.

Mark Brezina, Director of Housing and Urban Development in Knoxville says each city getting money can use it for their biggest housing issue.

City government can decide to demolish vacant homes and rebuild, pay bills in low income neighborhoods or buy foreclosed homes.

The city still hasn't decided how they will use the money or where it will go. Beverly Johnson with Neighborhood Services says they will come up with a list of ideas and then send those ideas to the mayor.

After hearing about the options for the money many neighborhood associations developed ideas of their own.

Tara Hewlett with the Churchville Neighborhood Association, "In our neighborhood we have 10 or 12 homes that need to be demolished and that funding will help get that done."

"I think they should spread it out throughout the whole community but obviously I think the worst part of the community should be first," says Charles Payne, who is on the neighborhood Association Council.

People like Holmes says she believes 2.1 million may not be enough.

"It's a symptom of the times...probably not enough due to the abandoned homes in the neighborhoods due to unemployment conditions in Chattanooga," says Holmes.

The city has until December first to apply for the allocation, and after that, they are limited to 18 months to spend it..