With Chattanooga’s new chief housing officer in her second month on the job, city leaders are developing a strategy for boosting affordable housing, which will include taking stock of the existing real estate market and identifying neighborhoods where there is a higher risk of gentrification and displacement.
During its Dec. 20 meeting, the Chattanooga City Council authorized staff to seek outside experts for a market analysis report, a systems analysis and a consultant team coordinator who will support city staff members as they develop an affordable housing action plan. The city has posted notices for consultants to apply by Jan. 13.
“All of them are really instrumental in helping us set the table for what is going to be our affordable housing strategy going forward,” Nicole Heyman, who started as Chattanooga’s chief housing officer in early November, told council members recently.
Heyman said consultants will help Chattanooga officials determine where the city may need to proactively intervene to prevent people from being priced out of their homes.