MAYOR CORKER KICKS
OFF LAST
CHANCE INITIATIVE

July 25, 2003

CHATTANOOGA, TN — Mayor Bob Corker today launched the “Last Chance campaign,” an aggressive component of the Strategic Neighborhood Initiative (SNI), designed to remove blighted homes from the community’s landscape.

Organized through the Neighborhood Services Department, the Last Chance initiative will focus on deteriorating housing in the community which has been routinely cited for code violations and where action has been taken in court.

Properties with owners who have repeatedly refused to address their violations will be marked with a 4’ X 4’ sign indicating the property owner’s name and address and stating that the parcel is in violation of city code. The sign will only be removed when the violations are corrected.>

Mayor Corker said, “We are committed to working with neighborhood leaders and community organizations to ensure that everything possible is done to make all communities in our city healthy and vibrant. The Last Chance program provides us with another tool for helping rid the community of blighted properties which drive down real estate values and slow neighborhood revitalization.”>

Over the past year and a half, a concerted effort has been made by Neighborhood Services inspectors to enforce code violations throughout the community and specifically in the SNI communities. As a result of those efforts, many violations have been corrected including: Storing items such as indoor furniture, appliances, tires, and boxes on porches and in yards. Storing inoperable vehicles or dismantled vehicles in yards. Overgrown grass or vegetation over 10 inches high. Serious neglect to the exterior of homes. Putting brush and garbage or large household items out in violation of the scheduled pick-up date (Call 311 for schedules). >

In cases where violations exist, owners are notified and inspectors work with them to correct the violation. In cases where the problem is not corrected, the property owner is cited to Environmental Court and appropriate fines are levied.

Only in cases where all of these measures have been exhausted will the Last Chance effort be utilized.

Kenardo Curry, Administrator for Neighborhood Services stated, “We have made much progress in the 15 Strategic Neighborhood Initiative areas of our community by using the carrot approach. Our inspectors have regularly worked with citizens to help them correct code violations, organizations like CNE and Habitat for Humanity have helped spur redevelopment in those areas and neighborhood associations have been empowered and equipped to initiate positive chance in these communities. However, in a few cases, where property owners of slum housing refuse to address code violations, we will use the “stick” approach to make sure that their properties, which affect entire neighborhoods, are brought into compliance.”>

The first round of Last Chance signs will be posted on August 5th, and owners of those properties will be notified in advance. As soon as the owner brings the property into compliance with city code, the signage will be removed.>