Councilmember compares affordable housing proposal to “plantation mentality”

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- One Chattanooga city council member is likening a proposal tackling affordable housing to a quote “plantation mentality”.

Councilwoman Marvene Noel made those remarks during a presentation of that proposal.

It would reallocate funds from the city’s newly formed down payment home assistance program to the nonprofit Tennessee Valley Community Land Trust.

Essentially, that organization would own the land around a home in this program, while families would still be able to own the house itself.

Some councilmembers say this proposal would ensure these starter homes would remain affordable for multiple homeowners.

However, others like Noel say this is preventing lower income communities from building equity.

She said, “Why can’t we ever have the total package? Why do we have to be like, ‘You can have this but you can’t have that? Why can’t you have both of them? Why can’t they have the land as well as the building itself? It’s a plantation mentality for me. This is what I’m seeing.”

The down home assistance program is currently planned to have three million in funding beginning in July.