A church-led proposal to build low-income housing for dozens of seniors in Brainerd faced strong headwinds from the Chattanooga City Council on Tuesday, resulting in the decision on whether to move forward with the development being moved to the end of May.
Greater Tucker Missionary Baptist Church is proposing rezoning approximately 3 acres south of the church on North Moore Road to build a 79-unit apartment building for independent seniors.
The Rev. Gary Hathaway, pastor of Greater Tucker, told the council Tuesday evening the church has been blessed with the land, which is sitting vacant, and his congregation wants to be part of the solution to the local housing crisis.
“Our mission, really, as a church, is to minister to the needs of the community and our congregation,” Hathaway said. “We know, and everybody knows, one of the greatest needs in Chattanooga today is affordable housing. Let me say, as a pastor, I see it every day. I get calls every day from people looking for a place to live because their rents are going through the roof.”
Finding affordable housing has increasingly become a problem for Chattanoogans, as rent prices increase and development groups from outside the city and state buy and renovate existing apartment complexes. Addressing the affordable housing shortage is a focus of Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly’s plan for the city.