Commissioner Eileen Higgins’ legislation to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing approved by Board of County Commissioners
Media availability in Little Havana on Monday, May 24 at 9:30 a.m.
MIAMI-DADE – Commissioner Eileen Higgins’ legislation to award $60,000 to the Dade Heritage Trust in Surtax funds through the Department of Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD)’s Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) Preservation Rehabilitation Loan Program was approved by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners at its May 18 meeting. The funds will be used for the preservation and rehabilitation of a two-story, 4-unit rental housing project located at 1401 SW 5th St., Miami, FL 33135 in Little Havana. Media is invited to a guided tour of the project on Monday, May 24 at 9:30 a.m.
“Little Havana is unlike anywhere else in the world – it is beautiful, colorful, and a true melting pot,” said Commissioner Eileen Higgins. “I’m excited to work with the Dade Heritage Trust and Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development to preserve the beauty of this dense, historic neighborhood while keeping housing affordable.”
NOAH refers to residential properties that are lower in cost because they are older and usually poorly maintained. The NOAH Preservation Rehabilitation Loan Program provides resources to owners of existing single-family homes, duplexes and small or midsize rental housing in Miami-Dade for the purpose of providing moderate rehabilitation to their units. The Dade Heritage Trust was the first recipient of the NOAH Loan Program. Thanks to the leadership of Commissioner Higgins, the Little Havana property was acquired in 2020 by the Trust through a $1 million grant from Miami-Dade County to preserve a historic building to provide affordable housing.
“Dade Heritage Trust is so honored to be the first recipient of funds from Miami-Dade County’s Surtax Loan Program. We intend to be a great example to the neighborhood and owners of historic apartment buildings that preservation works as we promote this financial assistance opportunity from the County,” said Christine Rupp, Executive Director of Dade Heritage Trust. “Our beautiful Art Deco apartment building on 5th Street in the heart of Little Havana will serve as a model of both historic preservation and the preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing.”
PHCD is soliciting applications for its NOAH Preservation Rehabilitation Loan Program. To learn more, visit www.miamidade.gov/housing.
“This building and the Dade Heritage Trust are beneficiaries of our County NOAH Loan Program – the first one approved just this past week by our Board of County Commissioners,” said Michael Liu, Director of Miami-Dade Housing and Community Development. “This loan program seeks to preserve opportunities for naturally occurring affordable housing by providing very favorable loans to those who want to rehabilitate properties that will provide safe and decent housing to low- and moderate-income individuals.”
For more information, please contact Francis Izquierdo, Communications Coordinator for Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins at [email protected] or 305-375-5924.