Miami Beach Community Organization Opens Doors to Affordable Multi-Family Housing 

Miami Beach – The City of Miami Beach and the Miami Beach Community Development Corporation will open the doors to people and organizations with an interest in housing on Wednesday, April 23, 2003, beginning at 5:00 p.m. The partners are celebrating an open house for the property located at 1551 Pennsylvania Avenue and holding a housing fair and public hearing at the property located at 945 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The open house at 1551 Pennsylvania Avenue, currently under rehabilitation, will showcase a multi-family building rehabilitated through the use of funds from the County’s Homeless Trust and the City’s HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program. It is expected to be completed within the month of April early May. At completion there will be a total of 20 affordable rental units (20 one-bedrooms) which will be made available to income-eligible participants. The current income limit to qualify is $27,000 for one-person family (i.e. they must make less than $27,000). 

The total cost of acquisition and rehabilitation was $1,817,418. Of the 20 units in the building up to five units are to be made available to formerly homeless individuals that have participated in the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust program and are ready to be placed in permanent housing. 

“The 2000 Census revealed a home ownership gap between groups of different populations. The City of Miami Beach is committed to helping people in the community realize the ‘American Dream,’ ” said Vivian Guzman, director, Neighborhood Services Department. “We must assist the most vulnerable and help them become stronger, if they are to achieve that dream. We are proud to work with our partners in the private sector to achieve our housing goals. This building is an example of our mutual commitment and represents for many, the first step on the road to home ownership.”

The Housing Fair will provide an opportunity for people to provide input into the City’s five-year Consolidated Plan (a plan that outlines the vision for the City’s housing and community development programs), and will include workshops for different programs, including multi-family housing rehabilitation programs, home repair programs, and first-time homebuyers program. There will be a fair housing workshop to educate the public about their rights under the Fair Housing laws, and information regarding housing counseling programs available for City residents.

For more information, please contact Joanna Revelo, Housing and Community Development Director at 305-673-7260.

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Call 305-673-7575/VOICE to request material in accessible format, sign language interpreter (five days in advance), or information on access for persons with disabilities.