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Howard High School graduate and Chattanooga State alumni Rashad Jones-Jennings celebrated the groundbreaking of Valentina Estates on Friday morning, marking the launch of Tennessee's first micro home community.
The former professional basketball player turned real estate developer hosted the ceremony at 3525 Garner Road, where his company Post Pro Group will construct 42 modern, sustainable micro homes in a $12 million development.
"I want to see something that was unique in this community that hasn't seen any significant investment in the last 40, 50, 60 years," Mr. Jones-Jennings said during the ceremony. "We're big on revitalization. I don't think gentrification is a bad word, but sometimes people get uprooted, so we're more focused on revitalizing the community."
The development transforms what was previously a wooded dumping ground. Mr. Jones-Jennings said crews removed five truckloads of tires from the property during initial cleanup, with more still to be carried off.
Valentina Estates will feature a gated entrance, dog park, EV charging stations, walking trails, green space, and a rain garden.
Homes are priced starting in the mid-$200,000s, with an upper limit around $290,000. The developer said the pricing addresses Chattanooga's housing affordability challenge, with the average home sale price currently around $330,000.
"We wanted to be under that $300,000 mark because we created a product for people who may have pre-approvals, but there's nothing for them to buy," Mr, Jones-Jennings said. "If you have approval for $250,000, what are you going to get? That's turnkey these days."
The project includes strict covenants limiting rentals to 15 percent of units and prohibiting Airbnb rentals to maintain neighborhood stability.
General contractor Gerald Toney, who Mr. Jones-Jennings calls "Mr. Do It All," emphasized the project's community impact. Mr. Toney said approximately 60 percent of his contractors are from the local community, including formerly incarcerated individuals.
"I look for that person first before I look for anybody else," Mr. Toney said. "A lot of times these guys get overlooked."
Mr. Jones-Jennings has documented his real estate journey through over 800 YouTube videos, continuing his commitment to education and transparency. He began his real estate career in 2015 after retiring from professional basketball due to injury.
The developer announced an extensive development pipeline totaling $60 million, including a 28-acre property adjacent to Valentina Estates that will feature 57 single-family homes with 57 attached tiny homes.
Additional projects include 16 townhomes at Germantown Road and four townhomes on Bradt Street that are 75-80 percent complete.
Pre-sales for Valentina Estates launched July 7. Infrastructure work is currently underway, with Mr. Jones-Jennings promising vertical construction to begin within six to eight weeks. Ten building pads are already prepared for construction.
"We have $2 million in infrastructure going into the ground," Mr. Jones-Jennings said. "There's a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes that people don't see."
The development represents a significant investment in a community that has seen limited new construction in recent decades, with Mr. Jones-Jennings positioning it as a model for sustainable community development that prioritizes existing residents while attracting new homeowners.