Miami-Dade County and Related Urban celebrate the opening of the first new building constructed without the use of Public Housing Capital Funds
Collins Park in Allapattah is the sixth of many planned affordable housing developments to be co-developed by the public-private partnership
(MIAMI, January 9, 2015) - On January 13, 2015, Miami-Dade County officials in partnership with Related Urban will celebrate the grand opening of the new Collins Park Public Housing Development, located at 3625 NW 20 Avenue Miami, FL. The event will be hosted by Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson in an effort to showcase a public-private partnership of $100 million awarded by the State of Florida for the preservation and creation of more than 800 units for low-income seniors.
Related Urban was originally awarded nine percent Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funding in the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) 2011 Universal Application Cycle to build Collins Park Apartments as an elderly affordable housing development. In partnership with Miami-Dade County and Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Related Urban converted the project to a 124 unit public housing development. Essentially the County acquired a $ 28 million building without using any public housing capital funds. Due to this unique conversion, 124 elderly residents from the existing Three Round Towers Public Housing development were relocated to the new units. The new building has a management office, multi-purpose room, fitness center, laundry facilities, computer room and library and many more amenities. Related Urban handled all aspects of the resident relocation with TRG Management Company of Florida and Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development.
“This is an example of Miami-Dade County continuing to work hard and being creative in preparing solutions to improve our public housing communities. This success should serve as a model to address aging public housing throughout the country,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.
“This is a great start for our District and our County and demonstrates what we can accomplish when the public and private sector work together to address our pressing housing needs in our community,” expressed County Commissioner Audrey M. Edmonson.
“Through our partnership with Related Urban and HUD, we were able to take advantage of a one of a kind public approach to private partnerships that will greatly improve the quality of the living conditions for our public housing communities,” said Public Housing and Community Development Director Michael Liu.
The conversion of Collins Park apartments to a 100 percent elderly Public Housing development clearly evidences the County’s commitment to its senior citizens. This partnership with Miami-Dade County, which started in November 2011 has delivered 685 units over the past two years in developments like Joe Moretti, Dante Fascell, Stirrup Plaza, Jack Orr and South Miami Plaza. These developments help improve the quality of life for Miami-Dade County’s neediest seniors,” commented Senior Vice President and Principal of Related Urban Alberto Milo, Jr.