A well-known Dallas preacher wants to help ease South Florida’s housing crisis by building affordable apartments in the area.
Rev. TD Jakes and his real estate arm are planning rental complexes in Miami Gardens and Hallandale Beach. His company, Rev. TD Jakes Real Estate Ventures, announced a partnership with Miami real estate developer New Urban Development, an affiliate of the Urban League of Miami.
“We create hope and opportunity for those who are often left on the margins,” Jakes said in a statement. “Our partnership is a testament to the power of purpose-driven real estate, reflecting a commitment to providing affordable housing that not only transforms physical landscapes, but also revitalizes the very heart of South Florida communities.” »
New Urban League Development looks forward to working with Jakes.
“The relationships and access to funding sources through TD Jakes Real Estate Ventures will help us expand the work we do to improve housing options in neglected and underserved neighborhoods in and around Miami-Dade County,” said Oliver Gross, president. of new urban development. “We all believe in a holistic approach to community revitalization that values transformation over transactions and integrates educational programs, financial literacy and other resources for residents.
Here’s what you need to know about affordable housing projects in South Florida:
What are the plans in Miami Gardens?
The 150-unit Miami Gardens senior living complex will occupy seven acres at the intersection of Northwest 183rd Street and 12th Avenue, adjacent to the Miami Gardens Senior Family Center.
What are the plans in Hallandale Beach?
The Hallandale Beach development will include 200 apartments spread across five acres and is expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2024 on Northwest Eighth Avenue between Third Court and Fourth Street.
Will Jakes build churches in housing complexes?
There are no plans to build churches or faith-based institutions on any of the properties.
What about pricing and availability?
Jakes Real Estate Ventures will discuss rental prices and how people can be selected for housing in 2024.
What is Jakes best known for?
TD Jakes has written 35 books, including New York Times bestsellers. Its annual MegaFest conference regularly attracts 100,000 people. The Potter’s House church he founded in 1996 has 30,000 members. Jakes also appears on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
What other housing communities have companies built?
In 2007, Jakes Real Estate Ventures developed Capella Park, a residential community in Dallas. In Atlanta, the company plans to convert former US Army base Fort McPherson into housing and businesses.
New Urban Development has developed 1,500 units of affordable housing in Miami, including The Village I, a 150-apartment residential community in Liberty City.
“It’s about leaving a positive and meaningful legacy not only for us, but intentionally for these South Florida communities,” said Marcus Dawson, managing partner of TD Jakes Real Estate Ventures LLC. “Legacy is at the heart of our vision for positive change: ensuring that future generations do not have to endure the same obstacles that have challenged marginalized and under-resourced communities for decades. Nearly 60 years after the end of Jim Crow, the wealth gap still remains. »
What is the reaction of other faith community builders?
Like Jakes, Rev. Nathaniel Robinson III is a religious leader who sees the value in leveraging real estate to meet the needs of his own congregation. In 2002, Robinson’s Greater St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church acquired property in its Coconut Grove neighborhood and now owns more than $7 million in property and 30 units of low-income housing.
Robinson thinks it’s important for other faith-based organizations to understand what affordable housing in South Florida means for many low-income residents of color.
“It’s important that whoever is providing faith-based affordable housing in South Florida is really mindful of who can access that affordable housing,” he said. “Outside developers and people unfamiliar with our state should realize that the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County are a majority-minority community. We may think that when we talk about affordable housing, we’re talking about black people and the underserved, but that affordable housing can be reserved for people who make more than $80,000 a year.
Working to help Coconut Grove residents find low-income housing is an extension of the work of Robinson’s ministry.
“Communities all over South Florida and Miami are gentrifying,” he said. “Residents are displaced and communities become hyper-segregated. The importance of having truly affordable housing prevents the gentrification of communities like Coconut Grove, Liberty City, and Overtown. When this happens, churches have no members and schools have no funding. »
Michael Butler, The Miami Herald (Tribune News Service)