ChattFoundation CEO Baron King said he expects to get more funding from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency to assist families facing eviction, but even with the additional funding, several families may not receive assistance.
“To solve homelessness it’s going to take a whole community approach from community to city government to organizations to individuals willing to donate or volunteer,” said King.
He’ll know by July if the foundation will receive an additional $500,000 to $700,000.
The Tennessee Housing Development Agency awarded the Foundation $500,000 in October 2023.
The foundation used that money to help 139 families avoid eviction by paying their rent. However, nearly 800 families remain on the Foundation’s waiting list. Those families could become homeless if funding is not available, said King. “We’re running an eviction prevention program out of this office where we’re trying to help pay off back rent to keep people housed,” he said. “It’s 90 percent much more efficient to keep somebody housed than to get them through the rehousing process”.
By Tyson Armour, Age 16- STEM School
Camp REACH student journalist
(Camp REACH is a program of the Mary Walker Foundation)