Miami-Dade County officials yesterday inaugurated a low-income apartment complex attended by the Miami-Dade mayor and other county officials in response to one of the most significant complaints from residents regarding housing.
The new complex, called Superior Manor Apartments Phase II in northwest Miami-Dade, consists of 76 multi-family residences with good amenities for its tenants who already live in the apartments. However, officials said that other buildings are being built that will serve the same purpose.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava stressed that the county's authorities, together with other companies, are doing a lot to help low-income people and noted that it is perhaps the only place in the country with so many projects in this regard.
"I don't think there's any place in the country that's doing more in totality than we are in Miami-Dade County. New construction, we have 32,000 units in the pipeline, remember, we've been talking about that. We've also prevented evictions, we're also subsidizing people so they can afford it. We're also preserving natural affordable housing," Levine said at the opening of the properties.
The apartments were delivered based on the family unit and have between one, two and three bedrooms, as well as private balconies in each one. They also have public spaces, including a gym, a rooftop terrace and a community clubhouse.
The project to build low-income housing was initially completed in 2018 with the delivery of 139 units, mostly benefiting seniors. The project is largely funded by Miami-Dade's affordable housing surcharge.
The development is part of a move to help ease the county's housing shortage and high rents, which are not cheap in South Florida. Many people are asking county officials not only to build new homes, but to repair existing ones.
In this regard, Sabrina Velarde, director of policies for Miami Homes for All, said at one point that: โWe need to preserve what we have. There are many homes right now that lack (for example) air conditioning, or the building was built 50 or 60 years ago and now it is not in good condition.โ
Experts believe there is still much to be done, since in Miami, 6 out of 10 working adults spend more than 30% of their monthly personal income on housing expenses, one of the highest rates in the entire United States.
To get on the waiting list for construction projects, it is recommended to contact the Miami-Dade Housing Department or go to the site and sign up for the list. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program is also still accepting applications from those in need.
