owThe agency and its director, Seth Harkins, focus on housing as a way to knit together the South Memphis neighborhood between Alcy and Ball streets, bordered by Elvis Presley Boulevard to the west and Airways to the east. It’s a neighborhood that has a lot of pride around African American homeownership, Harkins says. But it’s also one that has seen a drastic increase in rents, forcing turnover in residents.
One of the ABDC's goals is to boost the percentage of owner-occupied homes in the neighborhood. As Harkins says, “We look for the worst of the worst in the neighborhood, pay a fair price, then turn it around to provide an affordable, safe, quality home that somebody would be proud to own.”
It also helps neighbors learn about improving finances to be ready for homeownership and acts as a community gathering spot for events and trainings.