Chattanooga Housing Authority Open Choice Voucher Program

CHATTANOOGANS, (WDEF)-Jus Tommy, Chattanooga Parent,"Well my son always he always wanted his own room and his own bed this may be a way to help me out."

Jus Tommy is one of more than 4600 people who signed up online for the Housing Choice Voucher program.

1000 applicants will be randomly selected.

Elizabeth F. McCright, Chattanooga Housing Authority,"I think that is a reasonable number of people to have on a waiting list, we don’t just want people to get on a waiting list and wait for years, we think it’s a reasonable expectation. Housing these people and offering vouchers to those who screen."

The winners of the lottery will then have the best possible chance to get a voucher.
With which they can chose their own housing.

Elizabeth F. McCright, Chattanooga Housing Authority, "Any place in Hamilton County to find a home. So, they actually chose their home. It can be an apartment, a house, a duplex. The program is called Housing Choice Voucher. I love the word choice."

One local charity who spent the morning helping people sign up say they are more concerned about the thousands who will go without housing in the coming months.

"I pray there is a plan for following up with these folks and getting them these housing choice vouchers, not only that for finding resources to pay for security deposits, moving expenses." says Rebecca Whelchel of Metropolitan Ministries.

The thousands who are not chosen on February 2nd will have to enter again when the program reopens in the future.