T
he Related Group, led by the Pérez family, is seeking to expand a Little Havana public housing complex into a massive 1,038-unit development under the state's affordable housing law. The project, dubbed Live Local Act, would add two 21-story towers and a 12-story building to the site at 800 Northwest 13th Avenue, 780 Northwest 13th Court, and 1389 Northwest Seventh Street in Miami. The existing Haley Sofge complex, which has 1,379 units, will be renovated as part of the project.
The proposed development would increase the total number of units on the 22-acre site to 2,417. Related's plan includes three garages, commercial space, and parking for over 1,100 vehicles. The towers will front the Miami River, with one building featuring 403 units, 3,600 square feet of commercial space, and 436 parking spaces, while the other tower will have 371 units, 4,500 square feet of commercial space, and 406 parking spaces.
Related is seeking a pre-application meeting with county staff to discuss the project before filing an official application. The development is also proposed under the Rapid Transit System-Development Zone's Smart Corridor Subzone, which allows for more flexibility in development regulations near public transit stops. Several bus stations are located on Northwest Seventh Street, adjacent to the site.
The Pérez family's Related Group has a long history of developing affordable housing projects in Miami, including the Gallery at River Parc, Brisas del Rio, and Paseo del Rio complexes. The Live Local Act incentivizes developers to include affordable apartments by allowing them to build larger buildings with more units than zoning permits allow, while also providing property tax exemptions.
Under the Live Local Act, at least 40 percent of the apartments must be designated for households earning no more than 120 percent of the area median income, a restriction that must remain in place for at least 30 years. Several other developers have seized on the opportunity presented by the Live Local Act, with multiple applications filed in South Florida this month alone.
