Pine Run Villas and McClure Village: HUD Assisted Affordable Rentals for Palm Beach County

Ribbon cutting

Affordable Rentals for Palm Beach County

Affordable Rentals for Palm Beach County

Brand new or recently renovated affordable rental housing can be hard to find in south Florida, especially larger units with four bedrooms. Palm Beach County now can count on two more developments, recently inaugurated, that fit these characteristics.

McClure Village, an aging community in Pahokee, was severely damaged by Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Homes in the multi-family rental community located on Eisenhower Road either needed extensive repairs or complete reconstruction. The economic downturn that followed slowed efforts to make the repairs, and as time went on, conditions deteriorated further. An infusion of HUD funding and the commitment from local authorities helped turn things around. The Pahokee Housing Authority, which owns and manages the community, received $1.2 million for hurricane-hardening improvements in a majority of the units, including impact-resistant windows and doors, asbestos removal and redesign of porch roofs, and exterior painting.

The county also used $3.9 million of its Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP3) funds to build 16 new units; with a total HUD investment of $5.1 million. HUD Miami Field Office Director Armando Fana, U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings, Palm Beach Director of Economic Sustainability Edward Lowery, City of Pahokee Mayor Colin Walkes Pahokee Housing Authority Executive Director Julia Hale, and several local dignitaries attended the ribbon cutting celebration in early November. McClure Village will serve a critical need for quality low-income housing in the Glades region for decades to come.

Pine Run Villas is the result of a public private partnership and an investment of $13 million used to build 63 new townhome-style villas. The units, constructed for larger households, consist of three- and four-bedroom units. The development was created on a vacant property located in the County's Urban Redevelopment Area. HUD funding used for this included $3,673,027 from the NSP2 program and $1,863,791 of HOME funds. Other funding came from Citibank/Housing Finance Authority Bonds and Raymond James Housing Credits.

The end result are homes with energy-efficient design features, a large clubhouse with pool, outdoor recreation areas for all ages including one half basketball court and tot lot; a covered school bus stop at community entrance, and on site management. In terms of services for the residents, there is an after school and academic programming at the clubhouse - in conjunction with Heritage Elementary and Tradewinds Middle schools; a homeownership opportunity program; and monthly resident activities. Last but not least, the community is located on Melaleuca Lane west of Lake Worth, on a public fixed transit bus route. Residents and neighbors alike are very pleased at the esthetics, amenities and services that Pine Run Villas has brought to the community.

###