Chattanooga Housing Authority Breaking New Ground In 2012

The Chattanooga Housing Authority will open two new affordable housing communities this year, Fairmount Avenue Townhomes and Maple Hills Apartments.

CHA was awarded a $3.9 million Recovery Act grant by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to redevelop Fairmount Avenue Apartments in North Chattanooga. The 18-unit "green" development will promote an environmentally- friendly, energy-efficient public housing community featuring solar panels on the roof that will supply about 10 percent of the residents' energy needs. It will also boast of walking trails and grassy play areas for children.

Maple Hills Apartments is an exciting project redeveloping the agency's Edward F. Steiner Apartments in East Chattanooga. The complex will feature 48 new apartments in the Avondale neighborhood. CHA's partners for this $9.1 million redevelopment project included the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, HUD, Chattanooga and Hamilton County officials, its development team, businesses, local community organizations and the residents.

Both sites are LEED-certified and will include two- and three-bedroom town home-style apartments. All residents will participate in a new Upward Mobility Program, which will require that they work, attend school or enroll in a job training program for a minimum of 30 hours per week - with the exception of the elderly and disabled.

Fairmount is scheduled to open between March and May while Maple Hills will open between September and November.