Two reports, both cross-posted from Florida Workforce Housing Network:
West Palm Beach, Fla. --- The West Palm Beach Housing Authority announced it will seek a federal grant to demolish the Dunbar Village public housing facility relocate all 317 residents and develop a mixed-use village with housing, shops and retail stores on the 17-acre site at a cost of $40 million or more.
Mike Clary of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel posted the news yesterday:
The plans were outlined Thursday by Laurel Robinson, executive director of the West Palm Beach Housing Authority, before a gathering of about 80 Dunbar Village residents summoned to a "mandatory" meeting in the housing project's conference room.
...Robinson said she had been encouraged to apply for a federal grant by HUD assistant secretary Orlando Cabrera. The authority applied for a similar grant in 2004 but was turned down.
Boynton Beach, Fla. --- Boynton Beach has told the last 13 families at Cherry Hill---the city's last public housing facility---to get out by Nov. 6 so the Palm Beach County Housing Authority can demolish the building.
Erika Pesantes at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel found the good news in this story:
Residents have long known the Nov. 6 deadline would soon arrive — officials notified them of plans to raze the compact duplexes more than a year ago.
Joe Zalman, the authority's executive director, said 37 families have been evicted. They got Section 8 vouchers, $1,100 for moving expenses and security deposits.
The building---Cherry Hill---stands in the way of the 24-acre 'Heart of Boynton' mega-redevelopment project Boynton Beach CRA officials (or is it city council members?) hope to convince Auburn Development Group to manage for them. And pay for.
'Heart of Boynton' may include some affordable housing. No one's saying for sure.
Although the Housing Authority has no agreement with the CRA, the agency has proposed affordable housing for the site, said Vivian Brooks, CRA assistant director.
Still, the area's crime and surrounding decay worry Zalman, who says there are no concrete plans in place for the site once the Cherry Hill buildings are demolished.
And it might be a while before any development gets under way.
Here's why:
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