Rebuild Big Mama's House in Disinvested North Memphis

Unirse CDC promotes a healthy, vibrant, and thriving neighborhood of Hyde Park in North Memphis through creative community development projects, housing redevelopment, and proven social programs.

We are dedicated to restoring and supporting a thriving, socioeconomically, and sustainable Hyde Park where residents share in the success and improvement of our community and beyond. 

We bought the home of Eunice Alma Harris Malone, my paternal great-grandmother, in Hyde Park, North Memphis, Tennessee. My great-grandmother moved from Utica, Mississippi with her parents and siblings and rooted themselves in the historic Hyde Park and Douglass communities. Big Mama, who I so affectionately called her, was well-loved and revered in Hyde Park. She was the community’s kindergarten teacher and an herbalist. WE

Rebuilding and restoring a home in an urban disinvested neighborhood during COVID has presented many challenges. Redlining, scarcity of financial resources, and the cost of lumber tripling have deterred us from gaining the adequate amount of money to rebuild. The old home has been demolished due to severe termite damage, cracked foundation, and code issues that were going to present so many problems passing inspection. 

We made a very hard decision to demolish her old home. However, we haven't lost hope in building a beautiful home on the land in which she bought and worked with her hands. Our dream is to build a sustainable and energy-efficient home that is a model for future affordable housing development in the neighborhood.  

We would love your financial support in restoring Big Mama's house as well as rooting ourselves in the neighborhood through a nonprofit community center.

Your funds will cover labor and materials to rebuild Big Mamas House and fund a resource for the community. 

Project Timeline 

July 1st we will begin the process of laying the foundation and plumbing after city permit approval

Early/Late August begin framing the house 

Sept install all electricity

October-December complete all of the construction of the home

Building new, sustainable, affordable, and eco friendly housing has immense benefits for the neighborhood.  The Hyde Park community was once a thriving and self sufficient neighborhood with affluent professionals who lived in the neighborhood. Taking the inititave to rebuild instead of rehabbing homes has a direct impact on the economic vitality of the neighborhood through property value increases. It also creates pride in living in a safe, affordable, and pleasant neighborhood. Hyde Park deserves revitalization and economic restoration.