BY THE NUMBERS$54.8 million: HUD money awarded to public housing authorities in Tennessee$4.46 million: HUD money awarded to Chattanooga Housing Authority$598,971: HUD money awarded to Cleveland Housing Authority$152,815: HUD money awarded to Grundy (Monteagle) Housing AuthoritySource: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $54.8 million to public housing authorities in Tennessee this week, including $4.46 million to the Chattanooga Housing Authority.
HUD officials say the money should be spent to make large-scale improvements to public housing units.
However, CHA officials say the money was expected and it's not enough to save Harriet Tubman, the city's second-largest public housing site that is to be demolished or sold because it is in such bad condition.
"The money is part of our normal allocation for capital expenditures," said Eddie Holmes, chairman of the CHA board.
The housing authority received about about $250,000 more this year than last, he said.
"The good news is that it's not a decrease in funding," he said.
But the funding is far shy of the more than $33 million needed to save Harriet Tubman, Holmes said.
HUD said the funding is a down payment toward addressing the $25.6 billion backlog in large-scale repairs and renovation costs to public housing across the country, but it only scratches the surface.
The funding can be used to provide new roofs, make energy-efficient upgrades and replace old plumbing and electrical systems, according to a HUD news release.