Tiny Homes for Soteria Graduates: A New Housing Solution for Reentering Society

JULY 30, 2026

Reprinted from The Greenville Journal

GREENVILLE, S.C. - A tiny home project in Greenville County aims to create more affordable housing for people who were formerly incarcerated. 

The vision for the Tiny House Collaborative originated within the architecture department at the Fine Arts Center in Greenville County Schools. Department Chair Catherine Smith-Gates instructed her students to design three tiny homes for those experiencing homelessness in the fall of 2026.

These designs will be used to create a tiny home community for Soteria Community Development Corp., a Greenville-based nonprofit assisting men and women who were previously imprisoned. Five homes are planned for graduates of the organization’s one-year transitional program, each with a monthly rent of around $400 to $500.

Jerry Blassingame, CEO of Soteria CDC, said it can be difficult for people released from prison to access affordable housing. He explained that landlords often reject an applicant with a criminal record.

“We’ve been trying to get the stock of housing up for people with criminal backgrounds,” Blassingame said. “This tiny home community will be another step where people with criminal backgrounds can rent a safe, quality place to live for a period of time.”

Member Survey

Local, regional and national corporations and foundations are looking to SCACED and its members to form strategic and ongoing partnerships within the Community Economic Development (CED) industry which provide innovative and sustainable solutions for low-wealth communities in South Carolina. As such, we often receive inquiries regarding our member organizations’ programs, services and geographic areas.

Access to capital and increasing organizational capacity are benefits of SCACED membership, and we are actively working to foster collaboration between our members and strategic partners. Therefore, we have created a member survey which will help us to more accurately define your work, the services you provide and your geographic area. Our hope is that this will result in more opportunities for you to build sustainable relationships with financial partners.

In order to provide the most accurate data for what categories your organization fits, we ask that all members complete the following survey with your up-to-date organization information. Even better, those who complete the survey will be eligible to win one (1) of two (2) complimentary registrations for the Opportunity SC 2017 Conference in Myrtle Beach, SC, from September 13-15th (a $275 value)*.

Start the Survey
The survey should take no more than 8 minutes.

*Two (2) complimentary registrations are available. Only one (1) entry per active SCACED member organization. Prizes cover only the Opportunity SC 2017 Conference registration. Winners are responsible for both travel to and from the Opportunity SC 2017 Conference and accommodations at the Opportunity SC 2017 Conference. Must complete the Member Program Data Survey and Survey Registration to be eligible. Completed surveys and entries must be submitted no later than Sunday, March 26. Winners will be announce on Wednesday, March 29, 2017. Winning prizes have no cash value. Prizes are transferable. Good luck!

Please email Kenley@scaced.org if you have any questions. Thank you so much for your participation. Not a SCACED member? Learn more about member benefits.

New Membership Coordinator

Please join us in welcoming Kenley Sturdivant-Wilson who has been hired as SCACED's Membership Coordinator. He will officially join our team on December 1st and plans to reach out to SCACED members to familiarize himself with their work and their needs. 

Kenley has almost 15 years of expertise in fundraising, major gifts and database management. He most recently applied his knowledge as the Director, Annual Fund and Database Manager for the Nebraska Humane Society in Omaha. His resume also includes experience in the arts, sciences, philosophy and education in Nebraska, New York and Tennessee. 

Kenley has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Arkansas as well as Fundraising certification from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. In addition, he has served in the U.S. Military both in the Army National Guard and the Air Force National Guard.

Kenley's role is to ensure that SCACED members are getting the most out of their membership and to attract new members to our organization. We welcome your ideas and ask that you send them to kenley@scaced.org.