More affordable housing coming to Palm Beach County
Writer: Gabriela Enamorado
June 2023 — As businesses and residents continue to relocate to Palm Beach County, the cost of housing has commensurately risen with the population growth. To tackle this issue, the county and private development companies have made affordable housing more of a priority, and developments are beginning to sprout up across the region. Invest: explores some of the up-and-coming affordable housing projects in the works for Palm Beach County.
Coleman Park Renaissance
Recently, Palm Beach County leaders announced funding for two affordable housing projects, one of them being Coleman Park Renaissance. Coleman Park Renaissance broke ground earlier this year. This project, which is in the City of West Palm Beach, will be turning multiple vacant lots into 43 affordable housing units. This project will cost up to $19 million and will be rented out to individuals and families that do not exceed 60% of the area median income, $55,200 for a family of four.
“Coleman Park is a legacy neighborhood and this mixed-use project will serve the community’s housing needs as well as provide goods and services currently not available within close proximity,” Commissioner Mack Bernard said in a statement to WPTV. “I am excited to see the continued revitalization of this area and the changes that will serve current as well as future residents.”
Everglades Townhomes
Coleman Park Renaissance is not the only project receiving funding from Palm Beach County. Everglades Townhomes in Pahokee is another affordable housing project coming to the area. The groundbreaking took place back in March and will consist of 60 affordable multifamily rental housing units. 100% of the units will be required to be rented to individuals and families whose average household incomes do not exceed 60% of the area’s median income. The total cost of the project will also be $19 million including $14 million coming from Housing Finance Authority multifamily housing revenue bonds. The site used to be a Pahokee hospital that was demolished in 2020 to make room for these units.
Heart of Boynton Village Apartments
Over in Boynton Beach, the mixed-use redevelopment affordable housing project, Heart of Boynton Village Apartments, is expected to be completed this upcoming month. The $34 million project broke ground back in spring 2022 and will feature 124 affordable multi-family rental units, as well as 8,250 square feet of leasable commercial space.
“We want to make sure that all people are able to live and have affordable and decent, respectable housing that we can be proud of,” Boynton Beach Mayor Ty Penserga told WPBF about the city’s upcoming affordable housing projects. “Whether it’s our retail workers or restaurant workers, or teachers or nurses, so we’ve got something for everybody.”
The Cottage District
Another Boynton Beach project, the Cottage District project site between North Seacrest Boulevard and Northeast First Street will consist of at least 19 single-family detached units along with 22 townhouse units. The site will include street lighting, landscaping, five-foot sidewalks, and on-street parking. The homes will be sold through Palm Beach County’s Workforce Housing Program and sold at 60-100% of the area median income.
