Actor and comedian Mike Epps and his wife, Kyra Epps, have made real estate investing a family business. And now, they have partnered with HGTV for a new mini TV series that will showcase the couple’s efforts to revitalize the community that raised him.
The 51-year-old producer is an Indianapolis native who’s on a mission to revitalize the street he grew up on in the recently approved HGTV series Buying Back the Block. His wife, Kyra, a TV producer with a love for interior design, will be joining him in this passion project.
View this post on Instagram
“Our two little ones are growing up on the same block as Mike did in the ‘70s,” Kyra Epps said in a press release shared with Blavity. “Over the last two years, Mike and I realized that we needed to be close to our families more than ever. We decided to spend more time in Indianapolis so our children could understand the importance of family and their family history. I am excited to bring my design style to the neighborhood for future families to experience.”
The goal of the duo is to improve the experience people have in the neighborhood by renovating the properties within it. In 2020, the All About the Benjamins actor posted a before-and-after picture of a home he was flipping, in hopes to uplift and transform his childhood neighborhood, which he discussed in his caption.
View this post on Instagram
“A lot of people claim a Hood a city or a block but don’t own it this is my block in Indiana the before and after,” he wrote in the post’s caption.
“I been arrested in this hood a thousand times and lost a many friends to violence and drugs in this [neighborhood] was a full crack house in the 80’s and 90’s look at it now God Is Good I tell all the youngsters to invest in real estate it will take care of you!!!” the actor and producer continued.
Epps also added that he “had this land for 25 years or better,” in an effort not to brag but to “inspire.”
With the progressive work the lovebirds have already done in the community, including remodeling an abandoned firehouse on the block, the duo is more than equipped for the job. Each construction project will be updated with modern amenities, yet will also keep its vintage charm. And Mike will oversee all projects, which include the overhaul of his grandmother’s house alongside a team of experts.
“Kyra and I are restoring two homes on the block, one was my grandmother’s house from the 1960s,” Mike said in the press release. “Our kids will see us work firsthand, nail by nail, to rebuild these homes and our community. Our goal is to inspire legacy and family for generations to come.”
The three-episode series is set to air in the summer of 2023. Will you be tuning in?
