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Board approves $2M rental assistance, eviction-prevention funding and senior home-repair program
Summary
The board ratified a $2 million rental assistance contract, approved additional eviction-prevention funding with Legal Aid and authorized up to $4 million for Habitat for Humanity senior home repairs, with staff and Legal Aid describing a referral pipeline and case-management approach that previously helped about 350 households.
The Health Education Housing Facilities Board approved three related resolutions aimed at preventing evictions and preserving housing stability: a ratification of a $2,000,000 contract with the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition to administer rental assistance; additional funding for Legal Aid of East Tennessee's eviction prevention initiative; and a Habitat for Humanity program to provide senior owner-occupied home repairs (authorized up to $4,000,000).
Megan Miles, the city's director of housing policy, said the $2,000,000 total reflects $1,000,000 carried over from the prior year plus an additional $1,000,000 added in the FY26-27 budget. Miles said the original eviction-prevention program paired rental assistance with legal representation and housing navigation, and that the earlier funding helped roughly 350 households stay in their homes.
Emily O'Donnell, who identified herself as the managing attorney of the eviction prevention initiative at Legal Aid, described a weekly process that pulls eviction filings and allows outreach to affected addresses before court filings proceed; she said this case-management and outreach approach helps reach households earlier.
Miles said the Habitat for Humanity program will provide critical home repairs to seniors 60 and older at or below 50% AMI so they can age in place. Board members asked about referral pathways and whether information is posted publicly; Miles said information is available on the city website and through service coordinators and court outreach, and she offered to provide program contact numbers.
Each of the three resolutions was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Staff said the contracts and funds are included in the FY26-27 budget allocations and that the rapid ratification avoided a gap in services after the prior funds were exhausted.
