As President Donald Trump attempts to purge diversity, equity and inclusion programs from the federal government, the Chattanooga Housing Authority is standing by its existing policy in a memo to staff.
“Recent federal actions have led to significant changes in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within government agencies and the private sector,” said Katie Belcher, the human resources director for the Chattanooga Housing Authority.
“Notably, executive orders have been issued to dismantle DEI programs,” she continued in an email to staff Wednesday. “In light of these developments, this email serves to reaffirm CHA’s unwavering commitment to our current DEI policy. We will continue to monitor any legal changes that may affect our policies and practices and will keep you apprised of any changes.”
Last year, Belcher wrote, an outside consultant facilitated a series of listening sessions with housing authority employees to gather feedback on how the agency can foster a more inclusive culture. The insights from those discussions were shared with management and have been put into practice.