Health, Education and Housing Facility Board members
William Bulls III Gregg Gentry Hicks Armor (term expired) Stephanie Crowe Diana Bullock Source: City government
After Chattanooga’s housing board didn’t have a quorum a week ago to hear a tax break plan for the much-touted $8 million Chattanooga Choo Choo renovation, City Council members are seeking to fill up to four vacancies on the board.
In December, Choo Choo part owner and former Chattanooga mayor Jon Kinsey announced a plan to renovate the hotel. He’s seeking a payment-in-lieu-of-tax agreement to build 97 affordable apartments in the downtown hotel. In exchange, he’s asking for 16 years of tax breaks — no additional taxes on the expansion for 12 years and 20 percent of the expansion value for four years. The Choo Choo would still pay full school taxes throughout the PILOT.
To do that, Kinsey needs approval from the Chattanooga Health, Education and Housing Facility Board, which acts as a bond conduit to offer tax incentives for multi-unit affordable housing projects.
Board members tried to meet a week ago, but with two vacancies, a member with an expired term and one member who may not live in the city, the council needed to step in.
Council Chairman Chip Henderson said the council has advertised the posts, and people have until 4:30 p.m. Friday to file a resume with the council office.
To qualify, applicants must have a background in health, education, finance, business development, planning, housing, legal work or municipal government. And they must live in the city, among other requirements.
There are two vacancies on the seven-member board, and member Hicks Armor’s term expired in April 2014.
And there’s a residency question for member William Bulls III, who has served since 1988.
City Attorney Wade Hinton said there’s a question whether Bulls is eligible. The address he has on file is 5312 Brainerd Road, which is in the city limits.
But Hamilton County Election Administrator Kerry Steelman said Friday that Bulls’ voting address is 9211 Royal Mountain Drive, in the unincorporated county.
Bulls did not return a phone call seeking comment Friday.
Henderson said the council plans to fill the empty seats similarly to the way it appointed members of the Industrial Development Board in September. Even Armor, who’s currently serving, will have to send a resume and be interviewed to keep the position, Henderson said.
The council will split into three groups based on district, and each group will get a revolving appointment.
Contact staff writer Louie Brogdonat lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com,@glbrogdoniv on Twitter or, 423-757-6481.