Anger, confusion surround sudden closure of Southside’s Chatt City Suites

Teneil Miller, left, and her daughter Shykayla move out of their room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel. Teneil Miller, left, and her daughter Shykayla move out of their room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

By Mark Pace January 3, 2019 6 min read

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Chatt City Suites closes

A blanket covers the window of a room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

The pool is drained for winter at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Shoes are seen outside a room's air conditioning unit at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Teneil Miller and her daughter Shykayla's cats are kept in a carrier as they move out of their room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Christmas Cards hang on the wall of Teneil Miller's room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Teneil Miller, left, and her daughter Shykayla sit on the bed as they take a break from moving out of their room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Teneil Miller moves out of her room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Teneil Miller, right, and her daughter Shykayla pack up their food as they move out of their room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

A Christmas tree is still displayed in a common area at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

A vacuum cleaner is fallen in front of a room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

The Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Fernandos Hughley poses for a portrait in his room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Shykayla Miller, left, sits nearby as her mother Teneil talks about their move out of their room at the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Bill Miles stands near his truck, which he brought to help residents move out of the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

Jason Massengile helps move furniture out of the Chatt City Suites extended stay motel on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In a memo dated Dec. 27, residents were told that they must vacate their rooms by January 15 to accommodate renovations to the motel.

UPDATE: Chattanooga Housing Authority to release 100 vouchers to help those displaced from Chatt City Suites

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ORIGINAL STORY: There is resentment and confusion surrounding the sudden closure of Chatt City Suites in Chattanooga’s Southside.

Some residents have lived in the extended-stay motel for a decade, according to the general manager. They have seen ownership changes, but they never led to eviction or a full-facility closure. When the property was sold about six years ago, they expected everything to largely be the same.

Internally, there were signs things would be changing.