When Chattanooga City Council member Demetrus Coonrod was approved for a first-time mortgage on a home outside the district she serves, she didn’t even really read the documents before signing, she said.
Coonrod testified Thursday she wishes she had. She came from extreme poverty. She only knew one homeowner in her life, her foster mom, she said.
“I was just excited to be able to do so,” Coonrod said. “I didn’t know there was all these rules and regulations.”
Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Michael Dumitru heard testimony Thursday in a case questioning whether Coonrod is a resident of District 9 or even a resident of Chattanooga — both requirements for sitting on the panel.
Dumitru will issue a written order on whether Coonrod should be ousted from her position in the coming days.