OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Chattanooga Housing Facilities Board Meeting - November 17, 2025

City Council & City Boards — Monday, November 17, 2025
BodyChattanooga, Tennessee
SessionCity Council & City Boards
DateMonday, November 17, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 32:53

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Housing facilities board of the city of the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee to order.

0:06

We have a quorum and the meeting was advertised.

0:10

Is that correct?

0:11

Yes, sir.

0:12

Okay.

0:12

Yeah, we're not showing on the screen.

0:14

I'm just trying to make sure you're on.

0:15

Yeah, yeah, we are.

0:16

Okay.

0:17

Okay.

0:19

Um we have a pretty full agenda.

0:23

Uh first couple things.

0:25

Uh approval of the minutes of the October meeting.

0:29

Chair would entertain a motion for discussion.

0:36

So moved.

0:39

Second.

0:39

Okay, I have a motion and second.

0:41

Thank you.

0:42

Any discussions, corrections, thoughts, deletions?

0:49

Anything except rotten tomatoes.

0:52

Mr.

0:52

Knoblett was not here as were the chair and the vice chair, but uh Brian is here to confirm.

0:58

Ms.

0:58

Smith as well.

0:59

Okay.

1:01

Okay.

1:02

Yeah.

1:02

Um, I approve the minutes as presented.

1:06

Okay.

1:07

Second.

1:07

So we have a motion to accept the minutes presented.

1:10

All in favor, please say aye.

1:12

Aye.

1:12

Oppose like sign.

1:14

Seeing nothing.

1:16

Nothing, nothing.

1:17

See nothing else.

1:19

Okay.

1:20

Do we have any persons who wish to address the board this morning?

1:24

You know?

1:26

I always enjoy your happy voice.

1:27

You don't want to listen to the okay.

1:30

All right.

1:32

Okay.

1:33

Um, we always try to make sure if anybody wants to address the board before we start, we can uh number five.

1:42

We have a resolution authorizing the chair or vice chair to execute an agreement with uh enterprise community partners in substance and uh substantially the form attached.

1:54

It is a matching grant in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars.

1:59

They're gonna provide grants, training, and technical assistance to eight faith-based organizations in order to accrue to increase the affordable housing stock in the city.

2:12

That sounds like a lofty worthwhile goal.

2:16

Chair would entertain a motion to put this on the floor for discussion.

2:21

So moved.

2:23

There's a motion, is there a second?

2:25

Second.

2:28

Is anyone going to speak to this?

2:31

Oh, you are?

2:31

Okay.

2:32

So this is a really exciting initiative.

2:35

It's gonna be Enterprise Community Partners first program in the city of Chattanooga.

2:39

Enterprise is a national organization.

2:41

They have over 80 million dollars worth of housing, and they run really successful technical assistance programs on their country.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████52%
Procedural████████████████18%
Homelessness████████████14%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████8%
Public Works███████8%
Summary of Proceedings

Chattanooga Housing Facilities Board Regular Meeting - November 17, 2025

The Housing Facilities Board of Chattanooga met on November 17, 2025, with a quorum present. The board approved three resolutions: a $500,000 matching grant to Enterprise Community Partners for a faith-based development initiative, a $500,000 continuation of eviction prevention legal services through Legal Aid of East Tennessee, and a slope easement agreement for a development property. All resolutions passed unanimously by voice vote.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the October 2025 meeting as presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public addressed the board.

Discussion Items

  • Resolution – Enterprise Community Partners Faith-Based Development Initiative: The board discussed a resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with Enterprise Community Partners for a matching grant of $500,000. The grant will provide grants, training, and technical assistance to eight faith-based organizations over three years to increase affordable housing stock. Staff (Megan Powell) noted that Enterprise will conduct a clarity and call event on January 7, 2026, at the downtown library. The city’s $500,000 matches contributions from the McLellan Foundation, community foundation, and generosity trust. Board members asked about selection criteria, curriculum (75 hours free training, development grants for market studies), and reporting metrics. The resolution passed unanimously.
  • Resolution – Legal Aid of East Tennessee Eviction Prevention Program: The board considered a resolution authorizing $500,000 for Legal Aid of East Tennessee to continue an eviction prevention initiative providing legal counsel to tenants facing eviction. Eligibility is set at 80% area median income. Staff explained the program has been funded since 2021-2022, previously with ARPA dollars. Reporting includes monthly, quarterly, and annual reports with geographic distribution across council districts. The resolution passed unanimously.
  • Resolution – Slope Easement Agreement with Crester Group LLC: The board authorized execution of a slope easement at no cost between C&E (grantee), Crester Group LLC (grantor), and the HFB board/City of Chattanooga for property at South Lowery Street and East 19th Street. Developer Jake Toner explained the easement retroactively permits backfill work to prevent driveway washout. An additional oath of value signature was required; staff directed to add a second form. The resolution passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote on Enterprise Community Partners agreement: Approved unanimously (voice vote).
  • Vote on Legal Aid of East Tennessee agreement: Approved unanimously (voice vote).
  • Vote on Slope Easement agreement: Approved unanimously (voice vote), with direction to include two grantee oaths of value.
  • Notice of Non-Payment: An update indicated that ERG Empower Rental Group had been paid, resolving the issue; no further action needed.
  • Next Meeting: The December meeting date was not set; board will be updated.

Meeting Transcript

Housing facilities board of the city of the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee to order. We have a quorum and the meeting was advertised. Is that correct? Yes, sir. Okay. Yeah, we're not showing on the screen. I'm just trying to make sure you're on. Yeah, yeah, we are. Okay. Okay. Um we have a pretty full agenda. Uh first couple things. Uh approval of the minutes of the October meeting. Chair would entertain a motion for discussion. So moved. Second. Okay, I have a motion and second. Thank you. Any discussions, corrections, thoughts, deletions? Anything except rotten tomatoes. Mr. Knoblett was not here as were the chair and the vice chair, but uh Brian is here to confirm. Ms. Smith as well. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Um, I approve the minutes as presented. Okay. Second. So we have a motion to accept the minutes presented. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Oppose like sign. Seeing nothing. Nothing, nothing. See nothing else. Okay. Do we have any persons who wish to address the board this morning? You know? I always enjoy your happy voice. You don't want to listen to the okay. All right. Okay. Um, we always try to make sure if anybody wants to address the board before we start, we can uh number five. We have a resolution authorizing the chair or vice chair to execute an agreement with uh enterprise community partners in substance and uh substantially the form attached. It is a matching grant in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars. They're gonna provide grants, training, and technical assistance to eight faith-based organizations in order to accrue to increase the affordable housing stock in the city. That sounds like a lofty worthwhile goal. Chair would entertain a motion to put this on the floor for discussion.

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