Former NBA Player Udonis Haslem Initiates Affordable Housing Project in Miami

Retired NBA star Udonis Haslem is focused on building affordable housing units in his hometown of Miami. The new project will provide 200 families with quality homes within the south Florida city.

The initial report about this development came from The Real Deal, revealing the start of construction for budget-friendly apartments and townhomes located in the northern region of Miami-Dade County. This marks the second property acquisition by the ex-Miami Heat athlete, as he envisions converting it into affordable housing. His previous project, known as Wynwood Works, is currently being constructed.

Haslem announced the news via social media, marking the new project as the latest installment of “Haslem Housing.”

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Haslem partnered with Magellan, a Miami-based company, to purchase the 6.3-acre site in which the Catherine Flon Estates will be built. While the space will include one building for the apartments, another area will be designated for 26 “workforce priced” town homes, totaling to 200 units.

Securing the land for this project required a substantial investment of $1.5 million, and the entire process leading up to the initiation of this housing development took three years. Individuals whose income falls below 60% of the city’s median will be actively encouraged to apply for the apartment complex. Additionally, those interested in the town homes will only need to have an income of up to 120% of the median income.

The apartments will come as one-, two- and three-bedroom options, ranging in monthly rents from $1,161 to $1,610. The economical initiative is part of the Haslem Housing Venture, started by the three-time NBA champion to provide quality housing to lower-income individuals and families within the Miami area.

The development site was won by Haslem and Magellan in a bid of proposals for its usage, but an environmental clean-up will have to occur first, given that it is brownfield site. According to the EPA, a brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

Construction on the building is listed to begin as soon as late 2024.