Liberty City’s Parkview Gardens Offers Innovative Housing Model for Distressed Neighborhoods
Summary
Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado said Parkview Gardens, a new Carrfour community that opened in Liberty City this week, is a model for the potential for public/private partnerships to provide quality, affordable housing to reduce homelessness in America’s most distressed urban neighborhoods.
Carol Gardner, CEO of Tacolcy Economic Development Corporation, began the grand opening celebration of Parkview Gardens in Miami’s Liberty City community Tuesday with words of prayer and encouragement for all those impacted by Superstorm Sandy.
Parkview Gardens, a brand-new affordable housing complex located at 1475 NW 61st Street in the heart of Miami-Dade County’s Liberty City neighborhood, consists of 60 garden-style apartment units designated for low-income families and individuals. With preference given to Liberty City residents and area Veterans, the $12 million development provides housing for residents earning at or below 60% of the area’s median income (AMI), with six units set aside for those earning at or below 33% of the AMI.
The community was built by Carrfour Supportive Housing, Florida’s largest nonprofit affordable housing developer, who teamed up with Tacolcy Economic Development Corporation and the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to provide much-needed permanent housing for over 200 low-income residents.
The special reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday was attended by Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson and former County Commissioner Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler.
“Parkview Gardens is a great example of a project that provides a safe place for people in need of a permanent place to live within the community while also stimulating the local economy,” said Stephanie Berman-Eisenberg, president of Carrfour Supportive Housing. “We built this project with the intention of creating a modern, secure and affordable living environment for families while serving as a catalyst for revitalizing one of Miami-Dade’s most distressed neighborhoods.”
With units ranging in size from one to three-bedroom apartments, Parkview Gardens consists of six, three-story residential buildings, a community center, and a two-story parking garage. Amenities include a childrens’ playground, exercise room, computer lab, library and picnic area.
Parkview Gardens is managed by Crossroads Management, Inc., a property management subsidiary of Carrfour Supportive Housing, with the development of the project producing approximately 160 construction jobs.
The City of Miami provided about $343,000 in HOME funding for the development of Parkview Gardens as well as conveyed several parcels of land on which the project was built. Miami-Dade County provided $1,600,000 in Surtax funding. First Housing and Chase Bank provided construction financing for the project and RBC Captial Markets served as equity provider.
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About Carrfour Supportive Housing:
Carrfour Supportive Housing is a nonprofit organization established in 1993 by the Homeless Committee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Carrfour develops, operates and manages innovative housing communities for individuals and families in need through a unique approach combining affordable housing with comprehensive, on-site supportive services. As the leading not-for-profit provider of supportive housing in Florida, Carrfour has supplied homes for more than 10,000 formerly homeless men, women and children since its founding. Learn more at http://www.carrfour.org.