BIRMINGHAM UNITED NEIGHBORHOODS

Birmingham United Neighborhoods (BUN) is a coalition of eight neighborhoods working together since 2018, when they collaborated with the UAB Center for the Study of Community Health on plans for the 2019–2024 research project, CHEER.

In September 2018, the representatives of the 8 neighborhoods decided to establish themselves as Birmingham United Neighborhoods, with a mission to improve neighborhood health through collaborative partnerships and projects. Rather than work separately on neighborhood issues, BUN decided to work collectively as a demonstration project to improve neighborhoods across the city. During a January 2019 strategic planning session, BUN identified environmental blight as its highest priority. In October 2019, BUN pursued grant funding for Magic City Blight Busters, a project to address abandoned and deteriorated homes, overgrown lots, and litter, “a plague identified as the greatest detriment to the health of neighborhoods.”  Magic City Blight Busters launched in May 2020, and is seeking to expand participating neighborhoods starting this fall through the Birmingham Cares project.

BUN was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2021. In addition to securing City funding to establish the Magic City ToolBank, BUN has received funding from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, the Jefferson County Health Advised Fund, the Alabama Power Foundation, Jefferson County District 2, and the UAB Center for the Study of Community Health.