Verde Gardens Homeless Housing Community opens in South Miami-Dade County
$20 million partnership between the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust and Carrfour Supportive Housing includes new housing for 580 formerly-homeless residents, a 22-acre organic farm and farmers market to be operated by residents.
MIAMI, FL – August 24, 2011 – With the demand for homeless housing and services on the rise across South Florida, the Miami Dade County Homeless Trust and Carrfour Supportive Housing are teaming up to provide permanent supportive housing and services for 580 formerly homeless residents in South Miami-Dade. Home to one of the nation’s most innovative supportive housing programs, the newly-built Verde Gardens project consists of 145 town home units, a 22-acre organic farm, and a public market that will be operated by residents. The project, located at 12700 SW 280 Street in Homestead, is the culmination of a $20 million investment by The Homeless Trust, with Carrfour serving as the project’s construction manager and operator.
Construction of Verde Gardens got underway in May 2010, residents began moving into their new homes earlier this summer, and the project is expected to be fully occupied by the end of 2011. The property’s 26 residential buildings consist of 2, 3 and 4-bedroom town homes. All of the community’s residents are formerly homeless, with rental rates not exceeding 30% of each household’s income.
“Verde Gardens is the culmination of years of planning on behalf of The Homeless Trust and the only community of its kind in the country,” said Ronald L. Book, chair of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. “It is through investments like these that we are affirming our commitment to ending homelessness in our community. We’d like to thank the Board of County Commissioners for setting monies aside for this project in the GOB, realizing our vision for a better tomorrow for our homeless population.”
In addition to offering much-needed housing, Verde Gardens will yield a positive community impact through its organic farming component. Residents will be employed to work the farmland, develop microenterprises and staff the farmer’s market, which opens to the public each Friday from 4 pm to 8 pm. While row crops and a plant nursery are already proving fruitful, future plans are in the works to introduce livestock. In the future, the market with have expanded hours and accept food stamps from residents enabling them to shop onsite for organic produce and groceries, added David Raymond, executive director of the Homeless Trust.
“Delivering 145 housing units specially designated for formerly-homeless households is a significant accomplishment in its own right,” said Carrfour Director Stephanie Berman. “The fact that we are able to provide these residences while also introducing a community-based organic farming component is an added bonus that sets Verde Gardens apart from similar projects nationwide. The Verde Gardens mission encourages self-sufficiency and togetherness among residents, while engaging the community at-large through the farm, food forest and public market.”
Verde Gardens drew praise from President Bill Clinton and former basketball star Alonzo Mourning, who toured the site as part of the Clinton Global Initiative’s Day of Service program in 2010. It also features a playground, an art installation made possible through Miami-Dade County’s Art In Public Places program, a central community building with administrative offices, a meeting room, and a library and computer lab for residents.
###
>> Download PDF
AUG