The City of Miami Department of Housing & Community Development recently earned national recognition for its efforts on The Villages Miami, an affordable rental development in Liberty City partially funded by the City of Miami. The National Community Development Association (NCDA) presented the Department with the 2019 Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award at their recent Winter Conference in Washington, D.C., making The Villages Miami development one of just five such projects across the U.S. to receive the award.
“Congratulations to our Housing & Community Development professionals for making the strategic decision to fund The Villages Miami and for earning this national recognition,” said Miami City Manager Emilio T. Gonzalez. “Providing Miamians with a good quality of life, regardless of their circumstances, is what our City endeavors to do every day; our investment in The Villages Miami development has absolutely helped us deliver on that commitment to our residents.”
The Villages Miami was made possible in part by $2 million in HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding the City of Miami contributed to the development. The Department of Housing & Community Development accepted the award on behalf of The Villages Miami, as the agency that nominated the development for recognition. For its part, NCDA issues the Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award annually to select projects around the nation that exemplify successful and innovative uses of federal funding, specifically Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and HOME funding.
The Villages Miami was developed by New Urban Development LLC, an affiliate of the Urban League of Greater Miami, and opened in 2018 at 6886 NW 7 Avenue. It is fully-leased and features 150 affordable rental units, a community resource center, children’s playground, pool, and gated access to a ten-acre site. A second and third phase on the site are planned in the coming years.
The City of Miami Department of Housing & Community Development coordinates programs funded through federal and state grants aimed at assisting local families. To learn more about the department and its work, please click here.