City of Chattanooga

What City of Chattanooga does

The City of Chattanooga is a municipal government entity incorporated in 1839 and currently led by Mayor Tim Kelly (elected April 2021), serving as the 4th-largest city in Tennessee with a workforce of 3,000+ employees across departments including Police, Fire, Public Works, Technology Services, Economic Development, and Wastewater. The city operates an omnichannel service delivery model combining City Hall offices, the chattanooga.gov self-serve portal, a 311 help line, and specialized venues such as the Small Business Resource Center and Office of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.

The city's Department of Technology Services runs nine internal divisions (Intelligent Cities, GIS, Enterprise Applications, IT Infrastructure/Security, Digital Experience, Project Management Office, and the Office of Performance Management and Open Data). Its technology stack includes the PRISM platform — an AI-powered system leveraging cellular and connected infrastructure to build real-time digital twins of transportation networks, currently validated on the MLK Smart Corridor with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga — and a deep-learning urban tree-mapping pipeline that has catalogued 5.3 million trees citywide at 97% accuracy to inform heat-mitigation planning.

Revenue is generated through property taxes (rate of 1.93, the lowest among Tennessee mayor-council cities), business licenses ($15 initial registration), utility fees (sewer, wastewater), fines and citations, and federal/state grants. The city does not operate as a commercial entity and has no traditional revenue reporting; instead, it is funded through tax collections, municipal bonds, and grants. Notable strategic activity includes the 100-acre, $1B-class 'The Bend' mixed-use riverfront development with Urban Story Ventures and a $47.5M Hilco construction loan, a $6M USDA Forest Service grant for tree planting, and partnership with the Tennessee Division of Forestry to extend AI-driven tree mapping to 24 additional Tennessee communities.

Name

City of Chattanooga

Legal name

City of Chattanooga

Website

https://chattanooga.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1839

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The City of Chattanooga is a Tennessee municipal government serving 3,000+ employees and residents through public safety, utilities, permitting, and smart-city technology, funded by property taxes, fees, and grants, with proprietary AI platforms for transportation and urban forestry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Police Protection (922120)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Local Transportation, Parking & Mobility Administration (BPAIACAM), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Wastewater utility services
• Business licensing permits
• Parks and recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes: Primary municipal revenue source. Property tax rate of 1.93, the lowest under mayor-council government, maintained stable despite inflation.
2. Business Licenses and Permits: Revenue from business licensing ($15 initial registration), permits, and regulatory fees for various business activities.
3. Utility Services: Revenue from sewer fees, wastewater management, and other city utilities.
4. Fines and Fees: Revenue from tickets, citations, traffic fines, and various service fees.
5. Federal and State Grants: Grant funding including $6M USDA Forest Service grant for tree planting, federal transportation grants, and various state program funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The City of Chattanooga is a municipal government providing essential public services to its residents, businesses, and visitors. Core offerings include public safety (police, fire), utilities (wastewater/sewer, stormwater, waste and recycling), transportation and street maintenance, business licensing and permitting, parks and recreation, community services (head start, senior programming, community centers), economic development programs, urban forestry, and technology services through the Department of Technology Services.

Product overview

The City of Chattanooga operates primarily as a municipal government providing public services through its website and technology infrastructure rather than as a product company with commercial offerings. The city's technology division (Department of Technology Services) provides internal technology services including Digital Experience, Enterprise Applications, GIS, Intelligent Cities, IT Infrastructure, IT Security, Project Management Office, and Office of Performance Management and Open Data. These are internal service divisions supporting municipal operations rather than distinct commercial products or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Department of Technology Services (DTS) City division providing strategy, planning, project management, business analysis, implementation, maintenance, and security of all technology across the City of Chattanooga, supporting all departments with technology solutions.
• Business Licensing Business license registration and commercial tax registration for businesses operating within Chattanooga. $15 initial registration fee covering commercial tax registration.
• Property Tax Administration Property tax billing and collection services for Chattanooga property owners. Current property tax rate of 1.93, the lowest under mayor-council government.
• Wastewater and Sewer Services Sewer fee billing, wastewater management, and stormwater services for residents and businesses in Chattanooga.
• Waste and Recycling Collection Garbage and recycling payment and collection services for residents.
• Police Services Law enforcement, criminal investigations, special operations, community policing, and professional standards delivered through the Chattanooga Police Department, headquartered at 3410 Amnicola Hwy. Includes police report requests and traffic crash reporting.
• Fire Services Fire suppression, emergency response, and related public safety services delivered through the Chattanooga Fire Department.
• Permits and Applications Building permits, work zone permits, and other city permit and application processing for residents, businesses, and developers.
• Parks and Recreation City parks, greenways and trails, swimming pools, golf courses, athletics, camps, bike facilities, therapeutic recreation, reservations, and activity guides for residents and visitors.
• Public WiFi Free public WiFi access for residents and visitors in city facilities and public spaces.
• Small Business Resource Center Physical resource center at 332 E M L King Blvd offering meeting rooms, training facilities, and support services for entrepreneurs and small businesses, in collaboration with entrepreneur support organizations.
• Office of Economic Development Economic development programs assisting entrepreneurs and businesses, including tax credits and incentives, funds finder, workforce development, industrial development board, affordable housing programs, regional resiliency, and surplus properties.
• Urban Forestry City urban forestry program including tree planting, canopy management, and sustainability initiatives. Includes the AI-mapped 5.3 million tree inventory with 97% accuracy and a $6M USDA Forest Service grant planting 5,000 trees in priority neighborhoods.
• Transportation Services Transportation services including street maintenance, parking authority operations, public transit coordination, and smart corridor initiatives such as the PRISM AI-powered transportation platform validated on the MLK Smart Corridor.
• 311 Help & Information Line Centralized phone help line for resident inquiries, service requests, code violation reports, damaged hydrants, streetlight requests, and other city service needs.
• Office of Homelessness and Supportive Housing City program committed to assisting individuals and families experiencing homelessness to locate, enter, and maintain permanent housing.
• Public Library Services Public library services operated by the City of Chattanooga for residents.
• Head Start and Early Learning Early childhood education services including Head Start programming.
• Senior Programming and Community Centers Community center programs and senior programming for residents.
• Family Justice Center Chattanooga-Hamilton County Family Justice Center providing victim services, legal resources, and support for families.
• Regional Planning Agency Services Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency services including planning, zoning, building codes, and code enforcement at 1250 Market Street Suite 2000.
• Brownfields Program Environmental grants management and brownfields redevelopment program working with community developers to identify areas suitable for future economic development.
• GIS and Open Data Mapping, spatial data, open data, and performance management services operated by the Office of Performance Management and Open Data within the Department of Technology Services.
• Supplier Portal and Procurement Supplier support portal and procurement services providing supplier training, documents, forms, open bids and solicitations, and small business resources for businesses seeking to do business with the city.

Quantifiable outcome

• Property tax rate of 1.93 - lowest under mayor-council government, lower than Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026UTC is a core strategic partner for smart city initiatives including the PRISM AI-powered transportation platform, urban heat/tree mapping research, and MLK Smart Corridor validation. The university is the only academic institution among DOT Innovation Challenge finalists.
• Tennessee Division of Forestry's Urban & Community Forestry ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to extend AI-driven tree mapping approach to 24 small Tennessee communities, expanding urban forestry analysis beyond Chattanooga.
• Urban Story VenturesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper for The Bend 100-acre mixed-use development representing nearly $1 billion in potential investments including residential, office, retail, hotel, and marina components.
• Hamilton CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership for joint initiatives including America 250 finale celebration, and shared governance through the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency.
• Global Action PlatformmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAP leads the Tennessee Leaders Action Platform (TLAP) network of 120 senior leaders in 8 regional economic committees, with Mayor Kelly leading the Southeast Tennessee committee.
• Porter Development InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDI, founded by Professor Michael Porter from Harvard Business School, provides economic competitiveness frameworks and curriculum for the Leaders Academy.
• Spanish National Soccer TeamminorOthersVisiting Chattanooga for training ahead of World Cup preparations, hosted at Baylor School with support from Vision Hospitality Group.
• Baylor SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent school hosting Spanish National Soccer Team and providing outdoor education programs; founded 1893 with 690-acre campus along Tennessee River.
• Vision Hospitality GroupminorOthersChattanooga-based hospitality company (founded 1997 by Mitch Patel) operating 42+ hotels affiliated with Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and InterContinental brands.
• Chattanooga Tourism Co.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial destination marketing organization for Hamilton County, driving 11.1M annual visitors generating $1.8B economic impact and $186M in tax revenue.
• Sports & Events Corporation (TSEC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional sports commission for Hamilton County organizing events and leveraging sports for community connection and regional pride.

Scale indicators13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City of Huntsville: Mid-size Southeastern US city known for technology-driven economic development and innovation programs. Comparable to Chattanooga in smart city initiatives, technology sector growth, and quality-of-life-focused branding.
• City of Asheville: Mid-size US city similarly branded around outdoor assets and quality-of-life. Comparable in tourism-driven economic development model, environmental stewardship programs, and National Park proximity leveraging.
• City of Knoxville: Municipal government in the same state (Tennessee) operating under the same state regulatory framework. Comparable in scale and service portfolio to Chattanooga, including utilities, public safety, parks, and economic development functions.
• City of Boulder: Mid-size US city recognized as a national leader in smart city initiatives, sustainability, and technology adoption. Comparable in environmental programs, innovation-led urban forestry, and progressive municipal technology infrastructure.
• City of Austin: Large Texas municipal government recognized as a leader in smart city technology and innovation. Comparable in technology-driven economic development, municipal broadband initiatives, and rapid population growth driven by tech sector migration.
• City of Memphis: Major Tennessee municipal government with similar service portfolio (utilities, public safety, parks, economic development). Provides regional benchmark for property tax rates, urban forestry programs, and smart city initiatives.
• City of Greenville: Southeastern US city with similar post-industrial transformation story and downtown riverfront redevelopment. Comparable in urban renewal initiatives, tourism growth trajectory, and economic development partnerships.
• City of Nashville: Tennessee's largest municipal government, peer reference for benchmark comparison on property tax rates and major-city service delivery. Provides direct comparability on tourism economy, utility services, and urban development scale.

Emerging players

• CivSmart (a Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners company, now VIA): Smart city infrastructure technology provider enabling municipal digital transformation including IoT, transportation sensors, and urban analytics platforms. Comparable to Chattanooga's PRISM platform ambitions and Department of Technology Services Intelligent Cities division.

Others

• City of Chattanooga (peer reference): City of Chattanooga's EPB Fiber Optics: Municipal broadband utility owned by the City of Chattanooga providing the world's fastest internet. Comparable as a municipally-owned utility business unit and as a model for other cities evaluating municipal broadband.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CityofChattanooga
• Facebookfacebook.com/CityofChattanooga
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofchattanooga
• Xx.com/chattanooga_gov
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-chattanooga

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Chattanooga