Chattanooga has a new plan to fight homelessness

Tammie Carpenter, left, Betsy McCright, center, and Theresa Biggs remove care packages from suitcases to hand out while conducting an annual Point in Time Homeless Count on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Volunteers conducted surveys of homeless individuals and families in the region to provide data that will help service providers to offer targeted care and outreach. Tammie Carpenter, left, Betsy McCright, center, and Theresa Biggs remove care packages from suitcases to hand out while conducting an annual Point in Time Homeless Count on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Volunteers conducted surveys of homeless individuals and families in the region to provide data that will help service providers to offer targeted care and outreach.

By Judy Walton December 3, 2018 6 min read

Photo Gallery

Homelessness plan

Cindy Bennett, right, Knetta Jones, center, and Babs Gresko check out a homeless camp during the Point-in-Time count Thursday, January 26, 2017 during the Point-in-Time count in which volunteers take a census of the homeless population.

Cindy Bennett checks out a homeless camp during the Point-in-Time count Thursday, January 26, 2017 during the Point-in-Time count in which volunteers take a census of the homeless population.

Knetta Jones, left, and Cindy Bennett check out a homeless camp during the Point-in-Time count Thursday, January 26, 2017 during the Point-in-Time count in which volunteers take a census of the homeless population.

Alex Johnson, Shauna Webb, and Sam Wolfe, from left, carry bags of necessities to a homeless camp beneath I-24 during the annual point-in-time count of the homeless on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Volunteers and service providers traveled around the greater Chattanooga area to survey the homeless population in order to better provide services.

Sam Wolfe walks away from a homeless camp near Howard High School after unsuccessfully searching for its residents during the annual point-in-time count of the homeless on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Volunteers and service providers traveled around the greater Chattanooga area to survey the homeless population in order to better provide services.

A homeless encampment off of East 11th Street is seen on Friday, March 30, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. More than 100 people are now living in the city-owned lot behind the municipal wellness center, but officials are trying to remove residents because the land is a toxic brownfield.

Malcolm Amicarelli, left, and Angie Wise live with her dog Romeo in a tent in a homeless encampment off of East 11th Street on Friday, March 30, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. More than 100 people are now living in the city-owned lot behind the municipal wellness center, but officials are trying to remove residents because the land is a toxic brownfield. The Community Kitchen has re-opened its winter shelter temporarily for residents displaced from the camp, but Wise says she wouldn't be able to bring her emotional support dog with her if she stayed there.

Chuck Harris climbs onto his bicycle outside of his tent in a homeless encampment off of East 11th Street on Friday, March 30, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. More than 100 people are now living in the city-owned lot behind the municipal wellness center, but officials are trying to remove residents because the land is a toxic brownfield.

Calvin Sprik is photographed at Miller Park on Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. He is homeless, and often comes to the park for a free meal.

Calvin Sprik and Heather Phothichack (CQ), who are homeless, are photographed in Miller Park on Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Keim Shirley walks to the tent that he shares with Tracy Corello in a homeless encampment behind the city's wellness center on East 11th Street on Friday, April 6, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. City service coordinators were on site at the camp Friday to help residents find temporary housing, because the camp is located on a toxic brownfield.

Malcolm Amicarelli kneels outside the tent he shares with Agnie Wise in a homeless encampment behind the city's wellness center on East 11th Street on Friday, April 6, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. City service coordinators were on site at the camp Friday to help residents find temporary housing, because the camp is located on a toxic brownfield.

Angie Wise stands with her emotional support dog Romeo outside the tent she shares with Malcolm Amicarelli in a homeless encampment behind the city's wellness center on East 11th Street on Friday, April 6, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. City service coordinators were on site at the camp Friday to help residents find temporary housing, because the camp is located on a toxic brownfield.

Piles of tents, sleeping bags, and trash are seen in the former site of a homeless encampment on city-owned property behind the municipal wellness center on East 11th Street on Thursday, April 12, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The camp's residents were removed from the site because the property is a toxic brownfield. Out of 130 residents counted in the camp, 80 have applied for housing through Chattanooga Housing Authority and 8 have been approved, according to Twitter posts by Mayor Andy Berke's deputy chief of staff Kerry Hayes.

A homeless camp sits along Chattanooga Creek Wednesday, August 8, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The creek has portions that are filled with single-use plastic, styrofoam and other trash that has washed into the water.

Mayor Andy Berke details his plans to help end homelessness in Chattanooga. In the background Betsy McCright listens. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Betsy McCright, Chattanooga Interagency Council on Homelessness co-chair and Tyler Yount, Director of Special Projects, City of Chattanooga discussed efforts to end homelessness in Chattanooga with the editors of the Times Free Press, at the newspaper's offices on December 4, 2018.

Betsy McCright speaks to the editors of the Times Free Press. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Betsy McCright, Chattanooga Interagency Council on Homelessness co-chair and Tyler Yount, Director of Special Projects, City of Chattanooga discussed efforts to end homelessness in Chattanooga with the editors of the Times Free Press, at the newspaper's offices on December 4, 2018.

Tyler Yount, speaks to the editors of the Times Free Press. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Betsy McCright, Chattanooga Interagency Council on Homelessness co-chair and Tyler Yount, Director of Special Projects, City of Chattanooga discussed efforts to end homelessness in Chattanooga with the editors of the Times Free Press, at the newspaper's offices on December 4, 2018.

Tyler Yount, Director of Special Projects, City of Chattanoogaspeaks to the editors of the Times Free Press. Listening are Kerry Hayes, left and Mayor Andy Berke. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Betsy McCright, Chattanooga Interagency Council on Homelessness co-chair and Tyler Yount, Director of Special Projects, City of Chattanooga discussed efforts to end homelessness in Chattanooga with the editors of the Times Free Press, at the newspaper's offices on December 4, 2018.

Mayor Andy Berke details his plans to help end homelessness in Chattanooga. Listening are Tyler Yount, left, and Betsey McCright. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Betsy McCright, Chattanooga Interagency Council on Homelessness co-chair and Tyler Yount, Director of Special Projects, City of Chattanooga discussed efforts to end homelessness in Chattanooga with the editors of the Times Free Press, at the newspaper's offices on December 4, 2018.

Chattanooga’s mayor says one key piece of getting homeless people off the streets and into housing is, literally, staying on their case.

That’s why Mayor Andy Berke wants to assemble a squad of housing navigators who will help people find places to live as the city’s first step in a new, comprehensive plan to combat homelessness.

“The only thing that can end a person’s homelessness is to put them in housing,” Berke told Chattanooga Times Free Press reporters and editors Monday in a briefing ahead of Tuesday’s public unveiling of the 2018 Homelessness Action Plan. “We have to have a system in place that can get people from where they are into housing.”

With focused services, 85 percent of homeless people who get into housing will stay there, Berke said.

The Chattanooga Interagency Council on Homelessness will discuss the draft plan at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Chattanooga Housing Authority, 801 N. Holtzclaw Ave.