Groundbreaking held for Westside Evolves
A group of residents and officials accepting a ceremonial $50 million HUD grant.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The College Hill Courts are Chattanooga’s oldest public housing project, dating back to 1940.
Thursday, the groundbreaking was held on the project that will eventually modernize them.
Excitement abounded on the westside as Phase One of Westside Evolves officially got underway.
Resident Cassandra Robinson excitedly proclaimed, “This is our home! Again, residents this is our home! Say it with me! This, is our, home!”
This phase will renovate and expand the James A. Henry School’s role as a community hub, and begin the process of building modern affordable housing in this neighborhood.
This project was bolstered by the announcement earlier this week that the Chattanooga Housing Authority would be getting a 50 million dollar federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“It is a lot of high energy. People worked hard to make this a reality, and us getting that 50 million dollar grant is amazing, it’s nothing but high energy here,” said Regina Robinson, president of the College Hill Court Resident’s Council.
That grant, the Housing Authority says, will enable them to see the full vision of this revitalization.
“Oh my goodness! We’re going to be able to do eight phases of residential, mixed-income housing. So no longer will this be a pocket of poverty. We’re going to have College Hill Courts residents living right next door in identical units so we’re mixing the community, which is the best way to bring a community up,” said Chattanooga Housing Authority executive director Betsy McCright.
A large crowd was present for the groundbreaking of the One Westside project, and even jazz musicians.
Residents say that the beginning of this project means their community can stay intact.
Regina Robinson said, “We do deserve it. Just a wonderful community, a lot of residents. We have a lot of children, trying to do things for them. It’s just, we had a lot and we deserve it. I say it like that but we do.”
The first housing units are expected to be available to tenants in the third quarter of 20-26.
