The Chattanooga City Council approved spending $50,000 in emergency funds to be granted to the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition.

The funds are to help find permanent housing for the residents displaced from the Budgetel Inn a month ago. The intention is that the county will match the $50,000.

The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition has exhausted nearly all of their funds to find alternative hotels rooms and homes for the hundreds of people evicted from the Budgetel Inn.

"There is a housing shortage and there needs to be spaces for people to be with roofs and heaters, especially though the winter. If it's a matter of finances, I think the city has enough to cover that, or get us through this period," said resident, Joshua Kapellusch.

Kapellusch calls himself an advocate for the homeless population who cannot speak for themselves. He says he fully supports the city's decision to assist the coalition, which has been spending $65,000 every two weeks to house evicted residents of the Budgetel.

"These families shouldn't have been there, many of them were working or gathering meager savings to try and relocate to live up to the American dream… providing for their children, now is the time we can step forward," said Mike Smith, Executive Director for the coalition.

Mike Smith says they have just enough resources to house the residents for one more week.

"No one should be forced to leave their home, and face homelessness in the last two weeks headed into Christmas, especially those 106 children that were residing at the Budgetel as well," said Joda Thongnopnua, Mayor Kelly's Chief of Staff.

Joda Thongnopnua says it's vital for the city to help the coalition house these residents because the city cannot afford to support hundreds more homeless people.

Smith tells us they expect 75% of the people they've been helping to be self sufficient in the next 3 months.

"Thats really the ultimate goal.. is to put people in permanent homes," said Smith.

"This is really a stop gap measure to allow the homeless coalition to continue their work in getting people placed into permanent housing, and we encourage the commission to support it as well," said Thongnopnua.

Thongnopnua says the city prepares for emergencies like this and has contingency funds in their budget to assist the coalition.

The Hamilton County Commission is set to vote on the proposal Wednesday morning at 9:30.