A former hotel in Cutler Bay has been transformed into Hideaway Bay, a complex of affordable studio apartments built specifically for older adults who once had nowhere else to go. The property can accommodate 130 residents, and many of the people who live there are 55 or older and living with a disability. Rent runs about $300 a month on average, calculated at 30% of each resident’s monthly income.
The idea, as described by NBC 6 South Florida, was simple: take an aging hotel and turn it into housing that actually works for an older population, many of whom live on fixed incomes. Residents sign one-year leases, and tenants are selected through referrals rather than a general waitlist. Those who move in gain access to transportation, educational resources, and financial services meant to help them stay housed for good.
Denny Baldonado, director of Hideaway Bay, said the model was built around the reality that older residents need stability more than almost anything else. He has placed people he personally knew from the streets into units at the property, watching them settle into routines that once felt impossible. Baldonado said residents have expressed real joy simply because the facility finally meets their basic needs.
One Resident’s 15 Years on the Street
Alex De Pazos, 56, spent 15 years experiencing chronic homelessness before landing at Hideaway Bay. Now he works as a gig worker and has something he says he had not had in a very long time: a furnished room, a private bathroom, and a safe, quiet home. De Pazos told the station the new place felt like a brand-new hotel room, and he has since taken on a volunteer role helping run Bible study and bingo games for fellow residents…