The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) have announced the grand opening of Angelic Ministries’ Studio Home Park Community in Knox County. The event celebrates a significant milestone in the provision of affordable, sustainable housing.
“In 2002, Betsy Frazier founded Angelic Ministries to help those in need by providing clothing, household items, furniture, food, toiletries, and other essentials without judgment,” said Parker Bartholomew, Angelic Ministries Board Chair. Over the past two decades, the organization has supported thousands of families in crisis, promoting upward mobility and breaking the cycle of poverty. The latest initiative, the state’s first modular tiny homes, was made possible through the TNDMHSAS CHI Grant and TDCI’s Commissioner’s Inspection Program.
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With $219,500 in funding from TDMHSAS’s Creating Homes Initiative (CHI) grant program, five modular tiny homes were constructed. These homes will serve as permanent transition housing for residents of Angelic Ministries’ substance abuse recovery program.
“The Creating Homes Initiative was born out of a desire to think creatively and collaboratively about meeting the needs of Tennesseans living with mental health or substance use issues,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW. “Now, nearly 25 years later, this collaboration among state agencies and Angelic Ministries is producing new and cost-effective solutions that help residents reconnect with family, find meaningful employment, and fully participate in their communities.”
The TDMHSAS Creating Homes Initiative (CHI) began in 2000 under then-Commissioner Elizabeth Rukeyser to establish permanent supportive housing for people with mental illness. The program has since expanded under Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly to support people recovering from substance use disorder and those re-entering communities post-incarceration. Since its inception, CHI has created more than 36,000 housing options and leveraged over $1.3 billion from various funding sources.
The five homes were built by Knoxville-based Incredible Tiny Homes and are the first in Tennessee constructed and approved via TDCI’s Commissioner’s Inspection Program (CIP) within the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office’s Manufactured Housing and Modular Buildings Section.
“The Angelic Ministries project exemplifies how two state agencies can collaborate to help a local nonprofit better serve their community and create a stronger Tennessee,” said TDCI Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Carter Lawrence. “I congratulate Angelic Ministries on this milestone for their organization and Knox County. I hope this success will inspire other nonprofit groups across Tennessee.”
Randy Jones, founder of Incredible Tiny Homes, added, “Our homes provide affordable housing options, from starter homes to retirement homes, ensuring a secure and stable financial future for their owners. With the Tennessee Modular Buildings Act and the Commissioner’s Inspection Program, tiny homes can now be a viable housing option anywhere in Tennessee.”
The Studio Home Park Community’s grand opening took place today at 10:30 a.m. (EST) at 3429 Zion Lane, Knoxville, TN. Media outlets interested in covering the event are encouraged to contact Angelic Ministries.
For more information, visit Angelic Ministries.
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