Hamilton County Citizens Fear For Safety Of Their Children Due To Drug Addiction, Alcohol Recovery House Being Located Near Elementary School

Hamilton County Citizens Fear For Safety Of Their Children Due To Drug Addiction, Alcohol Recovery House Being Located Near Elementary School

Hamilton County Citizens Fear For Safety Of Their Children Due To Drug Addiction, Alcohol Recovery House Being Located Near Elementary School

First in a Series of Reports

Image Credit: oxfordhousetn.org

The Tennessee Conservative [By David Seal] –

Someone thought it was a good idea to locate a communal transition house for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts near an elementary school and residential neighborhood with fifty-plus families, kids, and swing sets. Residents of nearby Chase Meadows fear for their safety and the safety of their children.  

The house is self-managed by residents that are recovering and not regulated by the Tennessee Department of Corrections or any other public agency. It is privately owned by a non-profit organization.

Nearby residents of Chase Meadows, fearing for their safety, placed state legislators and local officials on notice of their concerns of potential danger to the Community.

For additional information, a link is provided here to Oxford House.

A concerned citizen who lives near one of the 6 Oxford House facilities in Hixson, Tennessee commented on the recovery house from personal experience.

“Oxford House’s mission states that it is to “provide a safe, affordable living environment that is supportive to individuals in recovery from addiction”. They are eligible to live there as long as they have completed a medical detox program. However, we know recovery is lifelong and elapses occur very often. One substantial issue is the safety of our children in this neighborhood. Four minutes before the shooting occurred, children were seen on our Ring cameras walking to school just as they do every day.” – said Holly Newton

The shooting described by Newton occurred near Hixson Elementary School on the morning of November 22, 2024, involving a resident of the recovery house.

A resident of nearby Chase Meadows reported that a silver Jeep was suspiciously sitting in front of a house adjacent to the elementary school. Before long, a tenant of the recovery house was allegedly shot by the occupant of the Jeep as he walked to work. Children had been walking to school along the same path just 4 minutes earlier.

Reports provided by the Chattanooga Police Department substantiate the residents’ concerns of frequent emergency calls for drug and larceny activity at 1225 Chase Meadows Circle, the location of the recovery house.

In August 2023, police responded to a “dead on arrival” call at the house, a fatality resulting from a Fentanyl, Meth, and Cocaine overdose. Other reports indicate mental health, auto theft, attempted suicide, and psychiatric emergency calls to the recovery house.

Newton and her neighbors have contacted state legislators, Chattanooga City Council, the local district attorney, and the Hamilton County Director of Schools. Agencies and elected officials have been placed on notice of the safety concerns of the community, which are backed up with police reports of criminal activity at 1225 Chase Meadows Circle.

In subsequent news reports in this series, The Tennessee Conservative News will feature responses by public officials issued to residents of the Chase Meadows neighborhood who are seeking relief from potential danger to their families.

About the Author: David Seal is a retired Jefferson County educator, recognized artist, local businessman, 917 Society Volunteer, and current Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party. He has also served Jefferson County as a County Commissioner and is a citizen lobbyist for the people on issues such as eminent domain, property rights, education, and broadband accessibility on the state level. David is also a 2024 winner of The Tennessee Conservative Flame Award & has received an accolade from the Institute For Justice for successfully lobbing the TN legislature to protect property rights. David can be reached at david@tennesseeconservativenews.com.

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One Response

  1. As dear Mom, RIP, oft said, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”.
    Addicts and criminals presently have more rights than regular folks.
    When America was great those who couldn’t function in society were institutionalized.
    MAGA!!

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