With shovels in hand, city and county officials pressed their spades into the sandy soil of Allapattah on Friday afternoon, marking the start of construction for a mixed-income workforce and affordable housing community rising just west of downtown Miami.
The project is among the first in the city to move into construction under Florida’s Live Local Act since the law was enacted in 2023.
At the project site on 1785 NW 35th St., City of Miami Commissioner for District 1 Miguel Angel Gabela called the moment a milestone for a city grappling with soaring rents and a deepening affordability crisis.
“Nowadays, land is not cheap and there's not an abundance,” said Gabela, whose office gave about $13 million for the project. “In Allapatah, we probably have one of the greatest needs. But I think this is probably the center of the affordable housing need, because of all the seniors.”
Developed by Coral Rock Development Group, the $89.2 million housing unit called “Dulce Vida” will include 230 mixed-income rental units and a 8,500 square foot public library at ground level. The project replaces a library that was temporarily demolished during redevelopment, with plans to modernize the facility as part of the new building.
READ MORE: Allapattah Branch Library to close temporarily for 8-story development
Of the 230 total units at Dulce Vida, 92 will be reserved for households earning up to 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), 78 units for those at 100% AMI and 60 units for households earning up to 120% AMI. The project will also include 170 unites that are city-assisted, meaning the apartments receive government support to keep rents below market rate for low- to moderate-income residents. The mix is designed to serve both low-income residents and workforce families, creating a layered income structure within one development.
Michael Wohl, a principal partner of Coral Rock Development, said the project will help ease the rental burden for residents in the county.
“People are paying the highest percentage of their gross income for rents here compared to any place in the country,” said Wohl. “So it's very important that we attack the affordable housing issues head on.”
Wohl said Allapatah was an ideal choice for the building due to its central location, near a main transportation artery, 36th Street, and two miles away from Miami International Airport and the city's health district.
Live Local Act as a catalyst
The project was financed to support long-term affordability, including a $54 million construction loan from Citibank, $15 million from the City of Miami’s Miami Forever Affordable Housing Bond and tax credit equity from Affordable Housing Partners.
But city officials pointed to the Live Local Act as a key catalyst.
The law passed in 2023 and was heralded as a model for addressing housing affordability nationwide. The act incentives the development of affordable housing by cutting red tape, such as, easing zoning restrictions, committing to keeping rents low overtime, granting tax benefits to property owners and expediting public approval process.
Since its passage, more than 3,000 housing units have been built across the state, with thousands more in the pipeline, according to Florida Tax Watch.
The act allowed for more units to be built, something Gabela said gives the project, “more success rate.”
But the Live Local Act already has its fair share of controversy.
This past January, Surfside officials and residents opposed the construction of a 12-story hotel and residential building on the site of an old post office on 250 95th St. They argued the building violates the town’s zoning rules cap on buildings over 30 feet or 12 stories.
The project — which would be the first project proposed under the act in Surfside — drew sharp criticism from Mayor Charles Burkett, who called it a "disaster" and a “a developer-driven initiative that doesn’t address affordable housing.”
While Wohl admits Live Local has its issues, he says the new development is "the best execution of Live Local. It is utilizing Live Local to subsidize mixed income developments that include affordable housing and workforce housing.”
The scope of the housing crisis is stark. Florida has only 24 affordable rental units for every 100 extremely low-income renters, according to a 2025 report from the Florida Housing Coalition.
But there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for residents.
In a “win for renters,” in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets, according to RentCafe.com, Miami added nearly 9,000 affordable apartments between 2020-24. The company said there was a 95% increase in affordable apartments compared to the previous five years.
READ MORE: A win for renters: Miami added nearly 9,000 affordable apartments between 2020-24
Obed Jauregui, pastor of Miami Bethany Church of the Nazarene and a partner in Coral Rock Development, called the development a turning point for the community.
“We're bringing projects that will bring dignity, that will bring productivity, that will bring stability to a city,” said Jauregui, who is also the CEO of Miami Bethany Community Services, in Spanish. “For a long time this community in some cases wasn't well-known, and in others it was known for violence, gangs, drugs, and other things. And now that it's known for having such beautiful projects…that's completely changing the community.”
Construction is expected to take approximately 18 to 24 months, with the building projected to open in 2028. Due to anticipated high demand, apartments may be awarded through a lottery system.
“We need more than half a million apartments for low-income families throughout the county,” said Jauregui. “But well, we can't bring in half a million all at once, but we brought in 227.”
