TIMELINE* 1977 — Fairmount Avenue Apartments built* September 2009 — Chattanooga Housing Authority receives $4.8 million through the federal stimulus plan to help the agency be more environmentally friendly* October 2009 — CHA announces plan to tear down existing 28-unit housing complex and replace with environmentally friendly 48-unit project* November 2009 — CHA reduces planned units from 48 to 36* December 2009 — CHA announces intention to go forward with 36-unit project over the objections of area residents* January 2010 — City Council votes 7-2 to halt Fairmount Avenue construction for at least four months* February 2010 — Regional Planning Commission rezones site for townhouses over CHA objections; CHA agrees to build 18 townhouses instead of 36 apartments* March 2010 — HUD tells CHA that $4.8 million is too much to spend on only 18 dwellings; CHA pledges to reduce cost to $4 million* April 2010 — Regional planners delay CHA plan for 30 days when no representatives attend zoning meeting to support plan* May 2010 — Planners approve 18-unit CHA plan with Mayor Littlefield’s blessings
Mayor Ron Littlefield joined a regional zoning panel Monday to OK the controversial Fairmount Avenue project after months of back and forth between the mayor’s office and the Chattanooga Housing Authority.
“Many people in the community thought the original proposal would overload the street,” Mr. Littlefield said in explaining his original decision to oppose the project.
CHA had previously proposed to demolish a group of aging apartments and rebuild them to be more energy efficient, creating a 48-bedroom complex with over $4 million in federal stimulus money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
But area residents, the mayor and the City Council said CHA’s North Chattanooga apartments would be too dense and place too large a burden on the neighborhood.