Micro‑Magic in Chattanooga: How a Former Pro Hoops Star Is Rewriting Affordable Living

Imagine this: 42 sleek, modern micro‑homes quietly springing up in East Chattanooga—affordable, sustainable, and community‑centered. Welcome to Valentina Estates, the first project of its kind in Tennessee, spearheaded by none other than former pro basketball player Rashad Jones‑Jennings. A true hometown hero, he’s swapping arenas for architecture, and the results are stunning.

Rashad Jones‑Jennings

At a $12 million investment, Jones‑Jennings is building each home for under $300,000—a sharp contrast to Chattanooga’s average home price of roughly $326,279. These aren’t just smaller homes; they’re thoughtfully designed spaces meant to bring dignity and affordability to buyers who’ve “done everything right”—yet still struggle to reach that next price tier.

“I grew up on the west side,” he shares, “and I don’t think that model works. You put everybody that’s in survival mode in one area.” For Jones‑Jennings, this isn’t gentrification—it’s revitalization. He’s not tearing down Grandma’s house and pushing neighbors out. Instead, he’s upgrading the area’s infrastructure and preserving its character.

Locals are understandably mixed. Some worry about increased traffic, while others feel hopeful—finally, a development that speaks to the community, not over it. “We gathered the neighborhood up… we talked about what it would actually do for the community,” one resident said.

Chattanooga officials clarified that the city doesn’t subsidize Valentina Estates—it’s market‑rate housing priced at a level that someone earning 80% or less of Area Median Income could manage, spending no more than 30% of their income on housing.

But this is bigger than bricks and mortar. Jones‑Jennings sums it up best: “I wanted to see the people around me win as well.” And if all goes to form, families could be moving in as early as 2026.

Valentina Estates is the perfect blend of purpose and practicality—a project built by a local legend who knows the neighborhood because he is the neighborhood. With affordability, design, and community at its core, this micro‑home community may just be the blueprint Chattanooga—and cities like it—needs.

This article is based on “Chattanooga gets ready for first micro‑home community, led by former pro basketball player” by Sarah Hower for WTVC NewsChannel 9