A new neighborhood has opened in Hixson for families who need spacious homes for rent, featuring large yards, room for kids to play, and easy access to Big Ridge Elementary School, said officials. Bethel Village is available courtesy of Bethel Bible Village, which is repurposing a street of homes that once housed families working in its campus ministry.
“Most people had no idea that this beautiful circle of homes was tucked away at the back of our main campus,” said Rosalind Connor, Bethel president and CEO. “In the past, our staff and their families lived in those homes. Over time, more employees began to live off campus, except for house parents who live right in our children’s residential cottages on campus.
“Recently we saw an opportunity to renovate and repurpose these beautiful homes, offering much-needed housing for rent for families in our community,. This also allows us to create a new revenue stream to fund our ministry during a challenging time, as we help more children overcome trauma and crisis and catch up with their education.”
The rental process is being managed by Lindsey Yerbey, a realtor at Weichert Realty, whose family has a long history of supporting Bethel. Ms. Yerbey invites people who are interested in renting one of the seven homes to visit Bethel Village on Sunday between 2-4 p.m.
“The neighborhood is easy to access,” said Ms. Yerbey. “The circle of homes, renamed Speicher Circle, has been gated off from Bethel’s main campus, and now has an entrance on Cassandra Smith Road, just a block away from Big Ridge Elementary.”
There are six 4-bedroom homes and one 3-bedroom home available, with rents from $1,500 to $2,000 per month.
“This is an exceptional opportunity right now, when family homes in Hixson tend to sell before or right after they are listed,” said Ms. Yerbey. “The homes feature updated kitchens, shady lawns, and a community firepit.”
“We look forward to hearing the sound of children and families playing in those yards again,” said Ms. Conner. “The Bible says that to everything there is a season and a purpose under Heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). We are grateful that this new season will bless families in our communities needing homes to rent, as well as the children we minister to at Bethel.
“When you look at the trends of 2020, which include rising rates of child abuse, increased relapse rates in addiction, and other traumatic circumstances that are impacting families due to COVID-19, the need for our ministry has never been greater/ We are blessed that Bethel Village will help fund the work we do, so no child who needs our help will be turned away due to financial reasons.”