Residents concerned over supportive housing development

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A proposed project puts a 60-unit supportive housing development on the plot of land the city currently owns at 1815 East Main Street.

It’s that proposed project that had several residents at the Chattanooga City Council meeting Tuesday night.

“We’re not against affordable housing and we’re not against affordable housing being in our communities. We believe that a high-density 60-unit supportive affordable housing unit, whatever that, again, means. We’re not comfortable with it,” Paige McMurray McVity said.

City council members approved a resolution that opens the door for the Mayor’s office to start negotiating a donation agreement with the AIM Center for the land.

“We’re giving our Mayor the ability to sit down and have the discussions on the negotiation. We’re not moving forward with anything. The community still has the say so,” Council Member Anthony Byrd said.

The AIM Center is a non-profit that helps adults with serious mental illnesses.

They approached the city for a lot for the project.

The organization is partnering with the Vecino Group and plan on using low income housing tax credit funding to pay for the development.

The inclusive facility would house qualified low income people as well as people with mental illness.

“We do anticipate that there will be members of the community served by the AIM center and organizations who in time that will be identified as vulnerable citizens with a physical or mental health diagnosis and be able to receive on site supportive services there,” AIM Center Interim President & CEO Donna Maddox said.

Neighboring residents to the site have concerns over the proposed project.

McMurray McVity lives just a few blocks away from the site.

“There’s a lot that we have concerns about. Safety being number one for our community, property values long term, and if this project goes through what kind of safety precautions are going to be put in place to keep keep us safe?,” McMurray McVity said.

McMurray McVity said they’ve gotten mixed information from the city on the project and want clear information on what’s going on, as there are still unanswered questions.

There will be a meeting on the proposed development this Thursday night at Together Cafe.

The meeting starts at 6pm.