For the past four years, the Eviction Prevention Initiative here in Chattanooga and Hamilton County has helped households facing eviction with attorneys and social workers during and after court proceedings. The goal is twofold: keep tenants in their homes - and compensate landlords fairly. The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga launched the program, supported financially by the City of Chattanooga and private donors. Since last year, Legal Aid of East Tennessee has administered the initiative. A study commissioned by the Community Foundation released this spring concluded, quote: “An annual investment of 640,000 dollars on access to counsel in eviction cases in Hamilton County has a potential annual benefit to taxpayers of more than three million dollars.” Keely Gilliland is chief of staff at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. Benjamin Danford is managing attorney of the Eviction Prevention Initiative - and staff attorney at Legal Aid of East Tennessee.
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