Founded in 1981, the Union Miles Development Corporation (UMDC) emerged from a coalition of concerned citizens committed to improving quality of life in the neighborhood. Today, UMDC has an experienced staff, refreshed mission and is on an expedition to revitalize the area through physical development, resident empowerment and community collaboration. Mission Statement To improve the quality of life in the Union-Miles service area through community engagement, housing and economic development. Vision The vision for the Union-Miles neighborhood is for residents to have community pride and become invested in where they live, worship, work and play. Union-Miles will be a business training incubator and cultural destination of choice. In order to rebuild the neighborhood, businesses; residents and the organization are working on the following: 1. Increase resident capacity to collectively act on their own behalf and have a greater role in decisions that affect their lives. 2. Raise the community level of awareness and its capacity and power to respond to social and economic issues. 3. Be an effective vehicle for social change in the community. 4. Have a larger core of trained leaders who have the capacity to lead other residents to win improvements for their community.