Allison Chandler Smith
Founding Partner
Co-Founder & Visionary
Allison is co-founder and visionary behind Olivette Riverside Community & Farm, an award-winning 400+ acre agrihood near Asheville, North Carolina that integrates residential living, a working organic farm, conserved land, arts programming, and community-centered design.
Allison’s vision for Olivette grew out of nearly two decades of lived experience in urban homesteading and place-based community life. Long before Olivette existed on paper, she was part of an informal community of friends and neighbors sharing interests in urban and suburban homesteading—learning firsthand how proximity to land, food, and one another shapes daily life. After visiting Serenbe and seeing the potential for a larger expression of that lifestyle, Allison translated those lived experiences into a development vision rooted in stewardship, connection, and long-term resilience.
Founded in 2014, Olivette was shaped by Allison’s early belief that people were seeking more than houses—they were seeking connection, land stewardship, and a meaningful way of living. Over the next decade, she helped guide Olivette’s evolution from raw land into a nationally recognized agrihood community known for thoughtful planning, resilient infrastructure, and a strong cultural identity.
As a founding partner, Allison played a central role in:
• Establishing the vision, brand, and cultural ethos of Olivette
• Leading sales, marketing, and community storytelling during the project’s formative years
• Helping generate substantial appreciation for early homeowners, validating the long-term value of the agrihood model
• Integrating the farm, arts programming, and philanthropic initiatives as core components of community life
• Navigating complex development phases, regulatory processes, and community formation
In parallel with her work at Olivette, Allison is also the co-founder and creative director of Paint Rock Farm in Hot Springs, North Carolina — a regenerative farm and retreat rooted in land stewardship, creativity, and community.
Together, these projects reflect a consistent through-line in Allison’s work: building places where land, culture, and human connection are treated as long-term assets.
Today, Allison continues her work through real estate, consulting, and creative projects focused on resilient communities, land stewardship, and values-driven development.