Chattanooga to consider rapid rehousing agreement for 100 formerly homeless people

Staff photo / Crystal Ellis puts some of her belongings onto a moving truck after Chattanooga Police forced her and the other residents of a homeless encampment located off Workman Road off the property on Sept. 29, 2020, in Chattanooga. Staff photo / Crystal Ellis puts some of her belongings onto a moving truck after Chattanooga Police forced her and the other residents of a homeless encampment located off Workman Road off the property on Sept. 29, 2020, in Chattanooga.

By David Floyd August 23, 2022 3 min read

The Chattanooga City Council is scheduled to vote next week on a plan to spend $60,000 in federal pandemic relief dollars to rapidly rehouse 100 formerly homeless people for one year.

During their meeting Aug. 30, council members will decide whether to enter into an agreement for the plan with the Chattanooga Housing Authority. Council members received an overview of the proposal Tuesday.

“Rapidly rehousing people makes this problem a lot less expensive than if you were to let it linger and then become a chronic homelessness issue,” Joda Thongnopnua, chief of staff for Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, told council members, “and so for our community, we believe this is the best way forward, and we hope council approves this.”