Accomplishments

Every January, the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition conducts a “point in time count” – a count of the number of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness throughout the county on a single night.

The 2023 point-in-time count showed a 39.8% reduction in the number of unsheltered people living on Hamilton County streets compared to 2022. The overall number of people experiencing homelessness, including those living in temporary shelters, decreased by 32%.

This is record-breaking progress for the City of Chattanooga. And it’s a direct result of the administration’s housing first strategy – a policy focused on providing permanent housing as quickly as possible to people experiencing homelessness, and following up with supportive services once they are housed to help them get back on their feet.

Here’s how it worked:

• OHSH, together with its partners, rapidly rehoused more than 1000 people experiencing homelessness in 2022
• This was a big increase from 2021, and here’s why:
  • Nearly $3 million in federal HOME American Rescue Plan Act dollars became available, which allowed the City to cover move-in costs and monthly rent for these individuals until they obtained a housing voucher
  • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Emergency Housing Voucher program allowed the Chattanooga Housing Authority to set aside housing vouchers specifically for people and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, instead of making them go through the lottery process
  • With increased funding from the City, Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition was able to bring together local service providers, landlords, and nonprofits into a continuum of care with a single shared goal: to house the unhoused, and get them back on their feet.
• At the same time, the City and its partners prevented more than 600 people at risk of homelessness from losing their homes, with programs like the Eviction Prevention Initiative and support from community partners who offered temporary housing solutions.

Learn more about the numbers:

• 2022 Homelessness Inflow and Outflow
• Point in Time Count Changes Over Time
• Snapshot of 2023 Point in Time Count

We’ve gotten this far because of the partnerships we’ve made and the silos we’ve broken down. OHSH thanks the many partners who helped make it happen!