HUD Announces Major Pilot Homeless Grant
in Chattanooga Tennessee for the Chronically Homeless

SETHRA Executive Director Riley Anderson accepts check from Assistant Secretary Pam Patenaude. Left, is Mary Ellen Hombs, Deputy Director of US Interagency Council on Homelessness. On the right, Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield and Congressman Zach Wamp offer congratulations.

Assistant Secretary Pam Patenaude

For over two decades, the people of Chattanooga have worked together to develop a comprehensive network for outreach, emergency shelters and transitional housing programs for the homeless. They have engaged a variety of stakeholders and have created the Chattanooga Regional Partnership. U.S. HUD Assistant Secretary Pamela Hughes Patenaude made a major grant announcement last month on August 10, 2005, which will ensure that this partnership will continue to work together to end homelessness in this community. These funds will secure housing for 100 chronic homeless families or individuals in Chattanooga's 10 county region.

The U.S. HUD Assistant Secretary Pamela Hughes Patenaude announced the award of $999,936 to the Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The funds will help the chronically homeless struggling with alcohol addiction. The funds will assist 50 people living in Chattanooga and another 50 people living within the surrounding 10 county areas. People suffering from an addiction to alcohol and living on the streets in Chattanooga will have a new chance at permanent housing as a result of this funding. The funds will promote the commitment by the President and the Secretary of HUD to end chronic homelessness.

Ms. Patenaude, HUD's Assistant Secretary, stated, "The investment we make today will help stop the revolving door for chronically homeless individuals, saving them from the constant cycle of jails, emergency rooms, city streets, and short-term shelters." Joining the Assistant Secretary to make this announcement were award recipient, Riley Anderson, Executive Director of Southeast Tennessee Resource Agency, Mary Ellen Hombs, Deputy Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield, and Congressman Zach Wamp

Approximately 100 people attended the event including Knoxville HUD Field Office Director Mark Brezina, Mary Wilson, HUD TN CPD Director, FPM and CPD staff members.