The Memphis Public and Indian Housing (PIH) Hub team were instrumental in helping the Union City Public Housing Authority (UCPH) improve its operations overall over the last 2 years. The team was made up of Public Housing Revitalization Specialist Jury Howard, Financial Analyst Sam Perrin and Facilities Manager Demetra Daniel. Because of their suggestions, UCPH has torn down some units, added central air to the elderly units, and now have a state of the art office and community center.

The celebration, held at the community center was attended by some 200 persons from Union City Tennessee and the surrounding area. Memphis Field Office Director Yvonne Leander and Tennessee PIH Hub Director Karl Kucen joined UCHA Executive Director Gena Burden in the dedication and ribbon cutting.

It was a special day for Gena, we want to share her sentiments. "I would like to take this opportunity to welcome each of you here today and to thank you for your attendance. This is a very special day in the history of Union City Housing Authority (UCHA). Today we celebrate both our past and our future. Since 1941 UCHA has provided low-income families with safe, decent, and affordable housing opportunities. For these past 65 years we have been successful in meeting the housing needs of thousands of families who have had limited financial resources. We are very proud of that heritage.

But, today we also celebrate our future. We recognize that to really help low income families mean more than just providing a roof over their head. We believe that giving families opportunities to learn new skills, hosting programs for kids and seniors, and offering other self-sufficiency activities will provide the resources necessary to better help them to achieve their personal goals.

Over the coming months we hope to enlist the support of community agencies, individuals and businesses to partner with us and provide programs, activities, and educational opportunities that will uplift and strengthen our families.

So, it is on this day that we open our new community center to our residents and to the community as a whole to offer a convenient place where achievement and success can be sought and the family dream can be realized."