Carl Strong wasn’t exactly invited to the groundbreaking ceremony for four new homes on Semmes Avenue in Orange Mound. But he had a front row seat — it was happening right across the street as he sat on the porch.
And admittedly, he wasn’t really thinking about becoming a homeowner. But now?
“I got to get me one of them,” said Strong, 59. “I ain’t never owned a home. It would be a great accomplishment, y’know what I’m saying? Especially at the age I am.”
Strong’s sentiment captures the aspirations of many in Orange Mound, where the dream of homeownership has long been out of reach for too many. But now, thanks to a collaboration between United Housing, Inc., the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development (HCD), and local nonprofit My Cup of Tea, that dream is becoming more attainable.
Four single-story houses, designed by local architects at Self+Tucker, will offer both three-bedroom, two-bathroom and two-bedroom, one-bathroom layouts, all built to ADA standards to ensure accessibility. Priced between $85,000 and $120,000, the homes are intended for low-to-moderate income families, with income caps on who can buy them — $45,000 per year for single adults; $75,000 for a family of four.
The income cap is required because the project is being subsidized by the City of Memphis, said Amy Schaftlein, Executive Director of United Housing, Inc., who is spearheading the development, and says the city is in desperate need for more “infill real estate development.”
“We’re 35,000 units short of affordable housing,” Schaftlein noted. “We can’t meet that need by building on farmland outside the city. We have to work within existing neighborhoods like Orange Mound, where the need is greatest.”
Memphis Mayor Paul Young, who was Director of Housing and Community Development earlier in his career, is intimately familiar with Memphis Housing shortage, noting in his remarks that more than 70 percent of Memphis’ housing stock is more than 50 years old, and that the city needs new construction in its older neighborhoods.
“There are plenty of cheap places to live. But the question is, do we have plenty of quality affordable housing options in our city?” Young said. “I’m really pushing our administration to make sure that we’re holding landowners accountable. It’s time out for sitting on land, waiting on a return 20 years from now. People need results right now.”
Ashley Cash, who currently leads Memphis’ housing department, stressed that the city needs more celebrations like this.
“Homeownership is so key to our city. It’s very important to our division,” she said, directing people to a homeownership dashboard on the city website. “It takes financial literacy and preparedness. But we want people to really think about strategies and places and ways to help bolster homeownership and get people ready for it.”
Land for the development was donated by My Cup of Tea, a local nonprofit that employs disadvantaged women in Orange Mound. Founder Carey Moore and her husband originally bought the lot with the idea of expanding their business, which employs local women. But as the years passed, their vision evolved.
“We knew the conditions many of our employees lived in were deplorable,” Moore said. “I believe in loving my neighbor. And I didn’t feel like I had made enough of an impact where neighborliness was needed.
“My husband and I have been in Memphis for four generations,” Moore continued. “Orange Mound always seems to be a little overlooked. We wanted to be part of the solution for Orange Mound. United Housing came along and it all just kind of fell into place.”
This isn’t the first time that My Cup of Tea and United Housing have made a difference in Orange Mound, though. Just ask Cheryl Henderson.
Henderson has lived, worked, and served for much of her life. Growing up in the neighborhood, she fondly recalls her parents purchasing their first home in 1969 not far from the Semmes site — an experience that instilled in her a sense of pride, dignity, and respect.
Decades later, in 2020, Cheryl had the opportunity to purchase her own home in the same neighborhood, a moment she describes as evoking those same powerful feelings. But remember those older homes Mayor Young was talking about?
“Mine was one of them,” Henderson told the crowd. “And I needed renovations. And so United Housing, with their renovation program and their low-interest loans, allowed me to renovate the home. So between My Cup of Tea and United Housing, I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you. Because others in our community can feel this same sense of pride, dignity, and respect.”
After the ceremony, when the shovels and hard hats were put away, Carl Strong lingered on his porch, watching as the crowd began to disperse. Normally, he’s afraid for children on the street because of speeding cars.
“This housing thing that they got going on, maybe it’ll stop all that,” he said. “You know, I’m hoping it’ll stop most of that crime stuff too.”
And he’s still trying to wrap his head around “this housing thing” happening right outside his front door — how it’s gonna work, and his place in it.
“Four houses? On this? How they gonna fit?” he said. “Are they Section 8?”
I told him the houses were for purchase, not rent.
“Well, I’m disabled,” he sighed. “I’m on disability, so that’s probably out of my league, then.”
I told him the houses were being built to accommodate disabilities. “Maybe you should give it a shot,” I said.
“Maybe I will,” Strong said.
, and local nonprofit My Cup of Tea, new homes will be built in Orange Mound.){kind=link}