Chattanooga Housing Authority has earned a best practices designation for progress in its Housing Choice Voucher program.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also recognized CHA officials for a presentation they made at a regional housing choice training conference this month.
"The great state of Tennessee should be very proud of Ms. Betsy McCright, executive director of the Chattanooga Housing Authority, Ms. Tammie Reeves, HCV Director and the rest of their entire staff," wrote Marcia E. Pierce, director of the Memphis Office of Public Housing Hub. "They left the group in awe when they shared their lease-up strategy and its success."
CHA earned the designation for hosting a housing choice voucher program blitz in 2010 that led to the agency's leasing all 3,140 of its vouchers -- formerly known as Section 8 -- by the end of the year. It was the first time all vouchers had been leased in 10 years, CHA officials said.
Several housing agencies across the country reported people getting hurt or being unruly in an attempt to gain vouchers. However, CHA issued 400 vouchers in one week with no incident.
Housing officials and applicants said lines moved smoothly as CHA took in 5,300 applications in 10 days. CHA staff received applications in the parking lot so that applicants never had to leave their cars.
E-mail Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com 423-757-6431.