Tyler Perry/Image: AP
Tyler Perry, who once spent three months living in his car after losing $12,000 on a failed theatre production, has donated $750,000 to help low-income senior citizens in Atlanta pay property taxes and remain in their homes.Perry is an American filmmaker, actor, director, producer and writer, best known for creating the Madea character and building a career across theatre, film and television.He started out writing and performing stage plays in the 1990s before expanding into screen productions. His work includes more than 1,200 television episodes, 22 feature films and numerous stage plays.Perry founded Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, where he continues to produce film and television content.
According to Forbes, his fortune is estimated at $1.4.The contribution will cover outstanding property taxes for more than 300 low-income seniors and help another 100 avoid future increases through a pilot programme.Rising property taxes have put pressure on older residents living on fixed incomes, making it harder for some to remain in homes they have occupied for years. Perry’s donation will cover outstanding city, county and school property taxes, with the funds administered by Invest Atlanta Partnership, the nonprofit arm of the city’s economic development authority.
How the donation will help Atlanta seniors
The $750,000 contribution has two main purposes. The first is to clear overdue property taxes for more than 300 low-income senior residents in Atlanta. The assistance will cover taxes owed to the city, county and school authorities.The second part will support a pilot programme for 100 low-income seniors, using funds to cover the difference between their current property taxes and any increases. The aim is to help them manage rising costs and remain in their homes.“Atlanta’s growth and prosperity should not come at the expense of our legacy residents, many of whom have been priced out of their homes in previous years,” Mayor Dickens said.“Tyler Perry has been engaged in our ongoing conversations around legacy resident retention, and he told me he wanted to do something to support these efforts. Thanks to his generosity, more Atlantans will be able to remain in the communities they built.”
From a failed play to a billion-dollar fortune
Perry began his career in live theatre in the 1990s. He put $12,000 of his savings into producing I Know I’ve Been Changed, a play about survivors of child abuse, at a community theatre in Atlanta.The production initially failed to attract a large enough paying audience to cover his expenses. Perry struggled to pay rent and spent three months living in his car on and off while revising the show and trying to build an audience.
He handled several aspects of the production himself, including designing the set, preparing programmes, hanging lights and selling snacks during intermissions.He continued touring his plays, gradually building a following before moving into film and television. His Madea franchise has grossed more than $660 million, as per the Forbes.Perry’s business model has also centred on retaining ownership of his work. In 2019, he opened Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre production complex in Atlanta. That year, he also struck a deal with Viacom that gave him a 25% stake in streaming service BET+.