By Amelia Orjuela Da Silva, Staff Writer, Miami Times
The 113-unit development aims to revitalize the historic community and address housing needs.
..."Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who has played a pivotal role in driving these efforts, expressed her deep joy during the ceremony.
“This is about the neighborhood,” she said. “There have been a lot of challenges where you [residents] live, and now we're doing everything in our power to fix things here and there … Because housing is a human right; it's not a privilege.”
The $40 million HUD grant is funding the Goulds neighborhood's transformation with the redevelopment of Meridian Point and the nearby Cutler Manor, which have suffered from years of disinvestment. The property offers easy access to public transportation, as it is situated near a transit hub, specifically the county bus stop at Southwest 216th Street Station, located close to the intersection with US-1.
The Meridian Point development consists of two buildings: a seven-story, 80-unit mid-rise and a three-story, 33-unit garden-style building. It offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units for families with incomes ranging from 30% to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Of the 113 units, 68 are reserved for families currently residing at Cutler Manor, while 45 units will be leased to the rest of the public. The maximum price for a one-bedroom unit will be $1,635, while a two-bedroom will be capped at $1,965.
Rodger Brown, managing director of real estate development at POAH, shared the motivation behind this project, tracing it back to a neighborhood planning effort that began more than a decade ago. Brown recalled how, between 2009 and 2010, POAH was approached to help a Florida-based nonprofit that was facing financial difficulties. As part of this effort, POAH was asked by the state to preserve some of the buildings that were at risk of being lost in foreclosure due to years of poor maintenance and inadequate support. One of those was Cutler Manor, located just a few blocks down from Meridian Point on the other side of US-1."
Photo Credit: Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for The Miami Times
Read the full article here.