WILL CALEB’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROPOSAL SHAKE THINGS UP?

HOUSING ADVOCACY GETS ITS LEGS

Grassroots faith organization CALEB gathered at the steps of city hall on Thursday to unveil its housing proposal for Chattanooga.

In it, the group outlined what goals members hope city officials with pursue.

“We should dispel the myth that affordable housing is an issue exclusively for those on welfare or those receiving housing vouchers,” CALEB said in the proposal found online. “It’s affecting a substantial majority of us and growing every month. Addressing the housing crisis isn’t a matter of charity; rather it is an investment in the cohesion and prosperity of our entire community.”

CALEB putting a call to action to the city to act is needed; affordable housing is the issue of our time.

Between 2016 and 2021, one out of every four rental homes became unaffordable to households earning $35,000, according to data from CALEB. Since 2021, the cost of rent has increased 30% — outpacing the 13% growth in household incomes.

It’s good to see grassroots community organizations demand that their voices — citizen voices — be heard on such a pervasive issue.

Advocacy is where accountability begins. It looks as if Chattanooga’s affordable housing crisis just got its voice.

LONG-AWAITED RETURN

It’s been 10 years since the video game franchise EA Sports’ NCAA College Football left us because of issues with paying players for their likeness.

But the game is back! Gamers rejoice! And parents mourn. Last week EA Sports announced its NCAA College Football 25.

Some cool news for Chattanooga: Standout players and now-graduates of high school football teams McCallie and Baylor will have their names in the game as part of this fall’s Tennessee and Alabama college football rosters and will get paid for it, too.

EA Sports will now pay college football players $600 each for video game NIL rights. Thursday began the window in which college football players can opt into the long-awaited video game.

“I think it’s really cool to be able to represent your university and your family,” former Baylor football player and now Alabama wide receiver Amari Jefferson told TFP sports reporter Patrick MacCoon on Thursday. “Being in the game is something that will mean a lot to me and is really cool, especially with EA Sports College Football being such a big-time video game. My favorite feature of the game in the past was definitely the Road to Glory mode. I had a ton of fun playing it and will definitely be playing it again on the PS5.”

It’s fun to see such a beloved game make its return.

WHITE SUPREMACY > SNEAKERS?

Before I pass away, which hopefully won’t be soon, my dream is to make it to a Fox News meeting just to hear how those entertainers come up with their over-the-top stories.

Now, I don’t indulge in Fox News much, but a recent report on Black people and their love for sneakers should be recognized in the broadcaster’s Hall of Shame of stupid takes.

Anchor Raymond Arroyo insisted this week that Black Americans will support Donald Trump for president because “they love sneakers.” Say what?

Over the weekend, the twice-impeached former president made a surprise appearance at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia, unveiling his new, self-branded merchandise including the gold “Never Surrender High Top Sneaker,” which sells for $399.

Now I will admit, I love my retro Grant Hill Filas, a replica of the 90s classic shoe. So yeah, some Black people do enjoy sneaker culture, but there’s no correlation between a Black person’s political view and their love for sneakers. If that were the case, Michael Jordan would have been a two-term president.

Fox News might have painted this as some scheme to get the Black vote, but truly Trump is just a two-bit grifter, a carnival barker/snake oil salesman. He’s tried to make a profit on everything from steaks and vodka to college and water.

Instead of trying to relate to Black people by selling a $400 shoe, he should try to relate to them by running on a platform that would lift up marginalized communities. How about starting with a solid plan to address the affordable housing shortage?

And maybe the orange man should think to himself: Would Black people really ignore his pandering to the white supremacy undercurrents that are moving across the country and choose him just because he is peddling a gold shoe?

Highly unlikely.