CNE Policy Platform

Completion Date: Spring 2020

Housing & Neighborhoods Policy Platform Details: 



In 2020, CNE released its housing and neighborhoods policy platform titled Building Thriving Neighborhoods for EveryChattanoogan: A platform for Chattanooga candidates and elected representatives. The platform recognizes that housing and neighborhoods are an essential component to a prosperous, inclusive city, and it provides a framework for creating policies and programs that support equitable housing development and neighborhoods. It is our hope moving forward that our city's administration will use this platform as a guiding tool in their work.

Platform Values:

In order to balance private investment with the needs of income-diverse households, CNE recommends the following values drive the development of a Housing and Neighborhoods Framework:

1. Thriving Neighborhoods. All Chattanooga neighborhoods have quality housing, successful businesses, job opportunities, transportation and well-maintained public spaces.
2. Stable Households. Chattanooga supports the improvement of people’s lives and advances prosperity for all its residents.
3. Inclusive Economic Growth. As Chattanooga benefits economically from improved neighborhood conditions, the increased revenues are invested into opportunities benefiting all Chattanoogans.

Action Steps:

To support these core values, CNE recommends our community’s next Mayor and Council take the following action steps and strategies within year one:

1. CREATE an economically inclusive framework for thriving neighborhoods and housing that guides the administrative goals and strategies of the City of Chattanooga.
2. ESTABLISH an executive-level position to lead citywide efforts focused on achieving the Mayor’s neighborhood and housing goals, while ensuring alignment and momentum across all departments and decision-making bodies.
3. FORM a multi-sector Housing Commission to work alongside city leadership to create and guide the framework, integrate resident input and act as an accountability partner.
4. UTILIZE CNE’s Healthy Neighborhoods report as the guiding principles for undertaking neighborhood reinvestment and market building to create positive change and impact. View report online.
5. CREATE outcomes and metrics that are inclusive of improved market outcomes, income diversity goals and resident wellbeing indicators.
6. IDENTIFY and IMPLEMENT policies and programs that build neighborhood market strength and balance livability and affordability for income-diverse residents.
7. ESTABLISH a 10-year plan with annual goals of increasing homeowners, rental units and rehabilitated housing.
8. ADOPT policy interventions and strategies that promote affordable, quality housing solutions.
9. FIX the development practices that act as regulatory and cost barriers to new housing development by updating and revising current building and zoning codes.
10. ASSESS and align all current allocated funds to support housing and neighborhood goals.
11. PARTNER with private and philanthropic partners to leverage city investment in housing and neighborhood goals.
12. ESTABLISH a Housing Trust Fund by identifying the revenue streams allowed under state and local statutes that will provide dedicated, ongoing funding to achieve the goals and outcomes of the framework.