Despite opposition from nearby homeowners and the mayor, Chattanooga Housing Authority officials are going ahead with the redevelopment of Fairmount Avenue Apartments.

At a special called board meeting today, CHA board members voted to pay $284,170 to Hefferlin and Kronenberg Architects to start work on the project.

CHA officials said they believe they have compromised with residents who are concerned about too many units and too many people in the redesigned complex.

Officials with CHA said they also will take pedestrian safety concerns into consideration and will build walkways into the property.

Residents attending the meeting said their concerns have still not been adequately addressed and they are considering meeting themselves with officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development who approved the project.

HUD awarded the housing authority $4.8 million for the project in September.

This week, HUD agreed to allow CHA to modify the plans and go from 48 units to 36 units. But it reduced CHA’s funding to $4.2 million and told CHA that it still must meet all deadlines, even though the agency has lost about two months dealing with the controversy.

For complete details, see tomorrow’s Times Free Press.