HGTV producer Kyra Epps returns home to build affordable housing on the South Side

Kyra Epps was 13 when her mother became a first-time homeowner, moving the family from low-income housing on the West Side to a residence in Englewood.

Epps remembers her mother painting the dining room walls yellow — a decision she asked her about recently.

“She said, ‘Because I was a homeowner and I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted to do,’” said Epps, now a TV producer who is married to comedian Mike Epps. “When you grow up in low-income housing, it's all a part of the system. There's not much you can do. So to go from that to being a homeowner was amazing.”

Epps is now helping other Chicagoans realize that dream. On Saturday, she joined a group of women volunteers in Greater Grand Crossing for Habitat for Humanity Chicago’s annual Women Build event. They contributed to the construction of four new homes on a build site at 7200 S. University Ave., installing siding, laying plywood and installing shingles on the roofs of garages.

Additionally, the event helps raise money for the organization while bringing awareness to gender inequality in the home-buying process.

This isn’t the first time Epps has helped with neighborhood revitalization; she and her husband purchased several homes on the block in Indianapolis where he grew up. After they documented their process for HGTV’s 2023 show “Buying Back the Block,” Epps decided to give back to her hometown.

“I always say — and I get this from my husband — it's important to have a home base no matter where you go,” she said. “I wanted to come back here and pour the same love that I poured into my husband's city into the city I’m from.”

The new, two-story Greater Grand Crossing homes have gable roofs, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an extra room on the first floor. They will be ready in the spring and sold for an estimated $240,000, though that price could change, said Habitat for Humanity Chicago Executive Director Jennifer Parks. Through their affordable home-ownership program, residents will pay a stabilized, affordable mortgage for the life of the loan.

One of the homes will be owned by Adrienne McCue, who was part of the Saturday crew.

“I'm just excited,” said McCue, 58, of Humboldt Park. “I'm nervous, but I'm happy and I'm just really loving the process from beginning to end.”

Prior to becoming a homeowner, McCue said she has dealt with everything from increasing rents to illness brought on by neighbors who smoked.

“I’m tired of worrying about things,” she said. “I just want to be in my own clean space.”

McCue also said she is looking forward to growing and preparing food at home.

“I really want to garden and have tomatoes, but also to work in my house, cook in my house, and do soups in my house," she said.

Since early October, women volunteers have worked on the homes. More than $500,000 of Habitat for Humanity Chicago's $750,000 fundraising goal as part of "Women Build" has been met, Parks said.

The organization is also building in West Pullman and Austin.

“We love our city,” Parks said. “It should be a city where everyone has a decent place to live.”

Volunteers on Saturday also included Aleta Clark, aka "Englewood Barbie," a South Side community organizer who was recruited by Epps.

“When people come to Chicago to develop, they're not even from here,” Clark said in praise of Epps. “They're not our color. So, to be a part of something where another Black woman rose to the occasion, why wouldn't you want to be a part of something like that?”

As Habitat for Humanity Chicago's celebrity community impact partner, Epps also taught a design workshop at the grand opening of the ReStore Chicago South home improvement store on South Western Avenue.

Epps graduated from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. She originally pursued broadcast journalism before making a career change. As a producer, she has worked on Keke Palmer's talk show, "Just Keke," as well as "Iyanla, Fix My Life" and some of her husband's comedy specials.

Epps said her structured working style complements her husband's spontaneous approach when they partner on projects.

Though they have homes in Indianapolis and Los Angeles, they make an effort to visit Chicago. Last summer, they attended the Chicago Air & Water Show and rode bikes around town.

"Nobody even noticed him," Epps said. "I like to feel very normal when we're here."

But will they ever film a TV show in Chicago?

"I hope so," Epps said. "There's no place like it in the world. I would love to show people how beautiful it is and to pour back the love into the city."