Miami Real Estate Blog

Ines, hi!  Nice focused post. I especially like the you included a virtual show.  Good job.

So I hate to ask, but did the low income housing go up - somewhere?

Maggie - thank you, we have one listing now in this complex and the show really helps.

Dena - I figured you would ask!  There are tons of low-income housing projects going up regurlarly in Miami, but for the city to want to build one in the middle of an upscale community did not go well with that neighboring community.  They figured they had gotten rid of the trailer park, but the community had been trying that for years. 

Guess I'm predictable! But it is an important question I think. To many communities for what ever reason forget that the world at large requires balance. All things must be considered. In my opinion.

Rick & Ines -- nice job on the challenge!   I love the photos!   You take great shots!

 

 

Thanks Colleen - and thanks for the challenge as well - I had been wanting to write something up about this small community, and you pushed me into doing it.

Dena - you are right - what is different in Miami is that there are still trailer park communities spread around everywhere (which is not a "safe" housing option with the hurricane situation)- urban sprawl has taken over all the land and the only land available are these trailer communities which are obviously not "permanent".  Anytime the city wants to make one of these areas "permanent" with good, low-income housing, people totally freak out.  There are areas for low income developments, they're not located in  or around upscale neighborhoods - I do agree that BALANCE is definitely the key, but with serious urban studies and planning, not just throw them anywhere they can.

Dena...

there are some trailer parks still left up here in Palm Beach County as well.

The issue sometimes becomes just a matter of rights... the trailer park owners don't really care - but the trailer owners believe that they have ownership rights.  If you really get into it - if the legal aspect of the parking spots for lack of a better word are not tight, then they might have a point.  They have actual and constructive rights to the land... so they are in fact a legal encumberance which is why they are so hard to get rid of.  There was one I mentioned that was in Lake Worth - on Lantana east of Congress near Lake Osbourne.  In the 50-60s it was a great area for trailers because this was all blue collar.  But the scenic areas are just too valuable and it just doesn't make sense to keep lower income on expensive property.

highest and best use of the property could be lower income - but much much higher density than trailers.

Sorry Ines, looks like a hijack.

I think we all agree, we want to do the right thing. Highest and best use, of course. Anybody who saw the NBC special about imigration filmed in Vail and Aspen, saw that in high prices areas it leaves no place for the lower income people to live. If the 'service' people can't live where the services are needed the community suffers.

It does look like a hijack Dena - but it is interesting discussion, so please be my guest.

Miami is HUGE - there are enough areas for low income housing, although nothing is low cost here (our low income housing may be equivalent to another city's mid-income).  So the Vail and Aspen problem does not apply, although the commute may be brutal at times.  I know I have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity on different ocasions and it's a matter of the right urban planning taking effect.  Thanks for the discussion. 

I am personally glad that this project - THE PRESERVE - was built.  Surrounding homes in the area start in the high $400's, all the way up to over $2,000,000.  These villas and town houses are on the market now in the low $300's - definitely more affordable than the single-family properties around the community and these are new!

I hope you didn't think I was hijacking this thread!!  I did not mean to! 

good price... looks very nice for the price.  Up here in Palm Beach County they'd definitely go for more.

I wish I could convince more people here to be more generous with affordable housing like you have!  I have such great loan programs but few get to use them because the availability of properties is so low.

Dena and David - these posts sometimes take a turn with the subject and that's fine with me.  Sometimes the discussion is better than the actual post.  No you did not hijack - there is much to be said about low-income and affordable housing (which are two very different types of housing, BTW).

What a beautiful community, Ines! We dont have "pools" here in Colorado Springs...

Mariana - what do you mean NO POOLS???  I guess we take them for granted here.

Residential pools actually bring property value DOWN here. We are in a high desert, and water needs to be conserved. Pool maintenece can be a huge cost to a homeowner, and it is never really THAT hot for that long to justify it anyway. Our Parks and Rec department offers many city pools (indoor and a couple outdoor) that we can use on the hot summer days.

I wish I had a pool to take for granted, though. I love pools.

That's unbelievable Mariana (about pools bringing property values down), but I can understant why.  We built a pool in our house in 2005 and we are enjoying it like crazy, plus it will be an added feature when we sell.

This is a really beautiful community!!! Thanks for sharing!

Barbara-jo and Bill - it really IS a beautiful community and the maintenace is great.  They are now working in replacing the entrance gates to the complex.  Thanks for commenting.