‘Westside Evolves’ project funding

Hamilton County Commissioners approved $2 million from America Rescue Plan (ARP) funds on Wednesday for the Westside Evolves project.

The Westside is one of Chattanooga’s oldest public housing communities. It’s home to more than 1,500 families. The money will be used for renovations to James A. Henry school, 100 new head start seats, a health clinic, and other recreational projects.

Commisioner Warren Mackey believes the project will keep Westside Residents from having to move due to gentrification.

“So this is going to be a critical piece of legislation, because in my thinking and most others, gentrification is taking place throughout Hamilton County. Less affluent families are being pushed out forced out pressured out. The best views of downtown, in my thinking, are those from the West side and I had feared that gentrification will cause the housing projects to be demolished and replaced with a lot of high dollar condos and townhomes,” said Mackey. “The people who live there already will not be displaced as the new house come out of the grounds. Persons who live there will be given first choices as to whether they want to live and stay there or move on. This is really pleasing to me, because the West Side involves a lot of people, and all about Hamilton County doesn’t need to be upper middle class.”

87% of residents on the west side are in poverty, making 15-thousand or less a year. Since the start of the pandemic the area has experienced a 40% increase in domestic violence and a 65% increase in violent crime.