More farmland in the Redland went poof last week when the Miami-Dade Commission approved an application so developers can build Bluenest at Krome: 700 townhomes on 91 acres zoned for 223 single family, detached homes.
The change in zoning from “estate density residential,” to “low-medium density” was approved at the Community Development Master Plan meeting Tuesday with a unanimous vote.
There was overwhelming community support for the project, even if many decided to simply wave to show they were in favor, and even if some seemed to be reading from a script or repeating talking points. Only a few people spoke against it. Supporters focused on how it would provide workforce housing in the area. “I see it as next generation housing,” said Ken Forbes, adding that the developer had reached out and met with the community.
But the reality is that only 20% of the units will be sold to people who make 140% of the area median income, which in Miami-Dade County is $79,400, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. And 140% of $79,400 is $111,160. If that’s who qualifies for affordable or workforce housing, the university students who were there hoping to be residents are going to have to think again.
Read related: Kendall residents oppose early talks for development of waste transfer facility
It also means 80% will be “sold for maximum profit,” said Vanessa McDonald, a Redland resident who spoke against it. “It’s lower than most prices, yes, but is it really affordable?”
Most of the opposition was about the density — and the encroachment of development into what is a mostly rural area.

“This project is an affront to our agricultural community. It does not fit in everything surrounding it,” McDonald said, adding that it would put a strain on schools, hospitals, landfills, water supply, fire rescue response times and other county services.
Natalie Grant, a lifelong resident of Southwest Dade and a black farmer, said she found herself “at the intersection of both hope and despair.” She said the project could completely transform the neighborhood, but negatively.
Miami-based Bluenest Development filed land use amendment applications last year for three separate properties in Southwest Dade that could add up to almost 1,100 new homes. Bluenest at Krome would be the largest, with 700 homes, including at least 140 townhomes, plus 148,104 square feet of retail and food stores, at the southeast corner of Krome Avenue and Southwest 272nd Street. The company already owns about 29 acres of the property and has the rest under contract.
The county encourages a mix of housing types on large developments, said Bluenest lobbyist Pedro Gassant, who’s fast-talking and fast-thinking presentation stole the show and made Ladra feel for a minute like she was watching a Showtime series. He is a rising star. Learn his name, because we will hear more from him.
Gassant began by confidently asking everyone in favor of the project to stand. Most of the audience in commission chambers at County Hall stood up. “This is such a great visual, I could just say this is my presentation,” he said.
But he did not. He did, however, turn what could have been a 25-minute presentation into a 8-minute one. And that surely scored points with some commissioners.
“You know that we’re the epicenter of the housing crisis,” Gassant said. “We have to do more to address the unaffordable issues we are facing. We are facing a crucial shortage. We have a very low inventory.” That has driven the average price of homes to $665,000, he said, and, subsequently, rents have raised as well.
Read related: Miami-Dade Commission to consider another agricultural zoning change
The market is only going to get worse, he said.
“The county has recognized that we have to accelerate development, and you know we have a limited land supply,” Gassant told them, adding that the townhouse component would help provide for the “missing middle.”
What does that mean?
“That means that with a $4,500 deposit, and $2,600 a month, you can own a home,” Gassant said, adding that a similar property as a nearby rental would require an $8,400 deposit for the first three months to move in. Over 30 years, a renter would pay over $280,ooo more, he added. “With no equity, no homeownership.”
The project also serves the entire community, which he said is a food desert, by having an on-site food market. And there isn’t going to an adverse traffic impact, Gassant added with a straight face. “The infrastructure there is enough to accommodate.”
Um, agree to disagree.
District 8 Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins said that she was pleased to see the number of people that spoke in favor. “It’s clear to me that you spent time in this community, speaking about this project,” Cohen Higgins said, adding that the support was from a diverse population of people.
That’s called good casting.
“What I heard from those who spoke were people saying we need affordable housing for sale, which is something that I have been trying to accomplish for my entirety as a commissioner,” Cohen Higgins said, adding that 99% of the time, affordable housing projects are for rent. “The American Dream is only achievable in this country for most with the ability to buy a home and pass that home on to” the next generation.
“At over $600,000, that ability is closed to so many in our community,” she said.
Cohen Higgins asked if the county could get more than 20% of the units earmarked for workforce housing, which is 140 units out of the 700, which would start at $341,000. She added that the United Teachers of Dade teachers union had sent a letter supporting the project because of the lack of housing that forces teachers to move to Broward.
She did not get a commitment from the developer, but was happy with it anyway. “It’s a big deal,” Cohen Higgins said. “We talk about our housing crisis all the time and I feel strongly that this is exactly the kind of project our community needs.”
Read related: Survey of Kendall residents shows they agree on Calusa, split on fluoride
Commissioner Raquel Regalado was interested in the infrastructure investment, which includes a regional pump station to meet the needs of the basin, that other developments can also use, so they don’t plant more septic sewers in the ground. “This is an area that does not have access to water and sewer and does not have the development required to get water and sewer,” Regalado said. “This is a community benefit.”
She also asked the developer to consider stormwater drainage when making their landscape choices and asked for a friendly amendment providing for that. The developer agreed.
Commissioner Kionne McGhee said he would support it because he would take them at their word on the traffic study, which was his major concern. “That traffic is horrendous between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. due to the increase of density in the area.”
Commission Chairman Anthony Rodriguez said he liked the farm style design on the homes and the fact that the single family homes were on the perimeter of the property — two things he believes would help the project fit into the neighborhood.
“Development is coming. This is something that we are expecting. It is coming and this project is within the UDB line,” Rodriguez said, referring to the Urban Development Boundary for which the commission needs a super majority to approve development. “Our staff, it is not a common theme for them to recommend projects like this and the fact that they recommend it speaks volumes to the work that you put into it,” he told the developers, who were in the audience.
A few commissioners said the project was “great” and spoke about the importance of mixed-use, live-work-play projects to bring jobs to outposts of the county and reduce traffic.
Bluenest Development is on a tear in Southwest Dade, planing two new communities. Bluenest Naranja would have 284 townhouses on 26.3 acres at 15335 SW 268th St. Bluenest Roatta would have 100 townhouses on 8 acres at the northwest corner of Southwest 226th Street and Southwest 129th Avenue. The both will have 20% of the homes earmarked for workforce housing.
“Redland is not known for townhomes. But all of a sudden it’s been overwhelmed with townhomes,” Mary Waters, a resident of the area, said at the meeting Tuesday. She also used the word “row houses” to describe the Bluenest at Krome project. “It’s known for agriculture. That’s why many of us came to Southwest Dade.
“The density of population being put in these areas is overwhelming.”
The post Miami-Dade Commission approves 700 homes on 90 acres of mostly farmland appeared first on Political Cortadito.

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Magnum Brickell, Quail Roost Station add 600+ units
As the White House considers major cuts to federal housing programs, like Section 8, for next year’s budget, according to the New York Times, Miami-Dade is making strides in providing more affordable units through transit-oriented developments.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Commissioner Kionne McGhee will celebrate the grand opening Thursday of the first phase of Quail Roost Station, a 200-unit development that brings affordable housing for seniors to Cutler Bay (in the featured photo above).
Next week, the same duo will preside over the groundbreaking of the new and improved Homestead Gardens Phase I, the first part of a new affordable housing community being developed through the conversion of an existing aging affordable complex that was built in Homestead in 1977.
This comes on the heels last week of the opening of Magnus Brickell, touted as the largest single-phase mixed-income venture in the county — at least so far. The 465-residences are available for rent at blended affordable housing, workforce housing and market-rate housing rates, and is a public-private partnership between Related Urban, the county’s housing and community development department and Miami-Dade Public Schools.
And last month, developers broke ground on the 47-acre Upland Park, a transit-oriented, mixed use project that is expected to transform the Dolphin Park-and-Ride terminal into a major multimodal transit hub. It will have more than 2,000 mid-rise and garden-style apartments, 282,000 square feet of retail and 414,000 square feet of commercial space near Doral.
“Upland Park is a prime example of how we are continuing to build a better community for all and a future-ready Miami-Dade County,” Levine Cava said last month. “Located alongside the 836 Expressway, which features a dedicated bus lane, this development will provide residents with seamless and efficient transit options, further integrating smart mobility solutions into our growing region.”
Read related: Doral seeks input on update to city transit plan, expanded trolley service
There are at least three more transit-oriented projects in the pipeline including Meridian Point at Goulds Station, which broke ground in January and will be funded with $2.6 million in surtax funds. The development offers 113 apartments in two, buildings — a seven-story, 80-unit building and a three-story 33-unit “garden building” — for families with incomes ranging from 30% to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Sixty-eight units are reserved for families currently residing at the nearby Cutler Manor Apartments, which is slated for redevelopment into a mixed-income affordable community.
“These developments provide public transportation connections to employment centers, schools, arts and culture, and healthcare, making it easier for residents to access essential services and opportunities,” Levine Cava has said.
In Downtown Miami
Located in the heart of Brickell, the Magnus project, at 201 SW 10th St., is unique for workforce housing in that it features top-tier amenities such as an expansive sun deck, resort-style swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, pet-friendly spaces, a podcast studio, Wi-Fi-enabled co-working spaces, and panoramic views of the iconic Brickell skyline.
All for rents starting at under $300 a month!
That’s the starting rate for some, depending on resident income, of the 93 affordable or low-income housing units that were built under the Rental Assistance Demonstration program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said Claudia Gonzalez, a spokesperson for Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who attended the opening. “In RAD, units move to a Section 8 platform with a long-term contract that, by law, must be renewed in perpetuity,” the HUD website says. “A Use Agreement is also recorded under RAD further enforcing HUD’s long-term interest. This ensures that the units remain permanently affordable to low-income households.”
The building also has 70 workforce housing units for folks making 120% Area Medium Income (AMI) and below — so maximum salary for residents is $95,400 for one person — which seems like a lot — and $108,960 combined for two people, which sounds much more “workforce” to Ladra than $95K for one. The AMI is set yearly by US HUD and is currently at $79,400 in Miami-Dade.
Rents are listed between $2,783 and $4,720 on the realtor.com website. The marketplace rates are what allows such quality affordable housing, officials say.
“This project is about creating homes for families who need them the most,” Commissioner Higgins said in a statement. “With 93 units for very low-income residents and 70 for workforce families, we are taking a big step toward ensuring that everyone in our community, regardless of income, has access to a place they can truly call home.
“Located just steps away from transit options, Magnus Brickell connects residents to better job opportunities, healthcare, and schools. And with a new K-8 school right next door, it’s the perfect place for children and families to thrive,” said Higgins, who is running (maybe) for Miami mayor. “This is what progress looks like, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”
Read related: Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins could join Miami Mayor’s race
She was a little too effusive of the developers: “We extend our heartfelt thanks to Related Group for being exceptional partners in this endeavor,” Higgins said in her statement. “Their dedication to getting things done is inspiring, and we look forward to continuing our work together on future projects that will further address our County’s housing needs.”
In South Miami-Dade
Quail Roost Station is a six-phase redevelopment plan alongside the Bus Rapid Transit busway parallel to U.S. 1. Approved by the county commission WHEN, it is supposed to be an example transit oriented development for seniors. It is connected via a covered walkway to the brand-new BRT station on Southwest 184th Street, one of the new 14 BRT stations along the South Dade TransitWay, where service is scheduled to start this summer. Phase one is done and phase two broke ground in August 2024 with expected completion by end of this year.
Located on approximately 2.3 or 8.5 acres on SW 184th Street, just west of U.S. 1, Quail Roost Station, at 18505 Homestead Ave., will eventually provide 200 units for seniors and their families. According to a Miami-Dade County press release, there will be 33 studios, 132 one-bedrooms, 23 two-bedrooms, 8 three-bedrooms, 3 four-bedrooms, and 1 five-bedroom apartments. The property features a community room, business center, fitness center, and on-site laundry facilities.
There may also be adult literacy classes, employment assistance, and financial management program classes will also be offered to residents on site.
All affordable housing units are set at 22% to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). That means that rental prices, today, would range from $737 – $2,065.
Studies have consistently shown that residents of affordable and workforce housing use public transit at a higher rate than the general population.
“With this transit-oriented community, we are not just building a structure, we’re building a future that honors our older adults,” Levine Cava said in a statement when the county broke ground last August. “Quail Roost Station will stand as a testament to our commitment to creating spaces where older adults can thrive, and where accessibility, connection, and care come together.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Commissioner Kionne McGhee at last year’s groundbreaking for Quail Roost Station.
“This is more than just a development. It’s a promise to support and enrich the lives of those who have laid the foundation for our community,” Levine Cava said.
McGhee, who was not an early fan of BRT, could not be reached for comment.
Read related: Kionne McGhee pulls the brakes on Miami-Dade BRT for South corridor
Miami-based Atlantic Pacific Communities has a deal to lease the site from, the county, which in 2020 approved $5 million in monies from the Documentary Stamp Surtax Program, named for the stamp of approval applied to local property transfers.
“Quail Roost Station is another signal that transit-oriented communities, which are also affordable communities, are on the rise and very much needed,” said Kenneth Naylor, president of development for Atlantic Pacific Communities, in a statement.
In the city of Homestead
Homestead Gardens Phase I apartments will consist of 162 residences at 1542 SW 4th Street, where the old Homestead Gardens (or Gardens of Homestead)  is now. Half the units are under the RAD program, which replaces existing public housing units one-for-one with Section 8 “project-based voucher units meant for returning public housing residents and qualifying residents with incomes of 30% and 50% of the AMI in Miami-Dade County. The other half will be affordable and mixed-income housing units.
This residential community, expected to open by the end of 2026, will be built with sustainable materials and systems and will be green certified. Amenities will include a community room for residents — which will have a heating kitchen — a gym, bicycle storage room, outdoor playground and community gardens. All apartments will include central air conditioning systems and washer and dryers.
What? No podcast studio?
This project is the first of three phases that Miami-Dade County and DBC Procida are working on to redevelop the 150 units of Miami-Dade County managed affordable public housing located at the existing Homestead Gardens campus. These photos show the old, outdated complex and the new, modern one.

Homestead Gardens got $2 million from county surtax funding and $2 million from the county HOME program funds. The project also includes Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity sourced through National Equity Fund, a construction loan from Bank of America, and Freddie Mac permanent financing through Greystone.
Elsewhere in Miami-Dade
Platform 3750 is at 3750 South Dixie Highway, on 2.1 acres leased from the county near the Douglas Road Metrorail Station. Developed by Hollywood-based Cornerstone Group and its partners, it has 113 market rate and 78 affordable apartments, 222,950 square feet of retail space, and 27,500 square feet of office space. It is eight stories tall and includes a pedestrian bridge to the Metrorail station. Amenities also include a rooftop pool and an interior drop off area, an on-site Aldi and an on-site Starbuck’s. Commissioners approved giving that project $6.5 million from the county’s surtax dollars.
District 7 has added 850 affordable housing units to the inventory in the last four years, said Commissioner Raquel Regalado. Another 800 or so have been or are being rehabilitated. “We all know that it’s getting more difficult of rising land costs, rising labor costs and construction materials,” Regalado said. “But ensuring families have access to safe, stable, and affordable homes is key to strengthening our community.”

Metro Grande III Apartments, located at 2005 West Okeechobee Road, near the Okeechobee Metrorail Station in Hialeah, has 202 senior housing units, 84 workforce housing units and 3,189 square feet of retail. Cornerstone Group also leased this property from the county, which committed $2 million from the surtax monies to fund it. Miami-Dade has wanted to turn this 1.5 acres into housing for more than two decades.
These projects not only address the housing crisis in Miami-Dade, officials say, they are also offering commercial and community space that address the needs of the area’s residents.

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