Residents, elected officials, and community leaders gathered on Jan. 14 in Historic Overtown to celebrate the grand opening of 16 Corner, a multi-family affordable housing development project that restored five aging buildings into 44 modern apartments without displacing a single resident.
The renovation represents an achievement in a city grappling with rising rents and redevelopment pressure. Protected by a 30-year restrictive covenant, units are rent-stabilized for families earning between 30% and 90% Area Median Income (AMI), with some residents paying as little as $537 in monthly rent — far below thearea’s medianof $2,400.
A model for anti-displacement
Originally designated unsafe in 2018, the historic 1950s garden apartments faced a future that likely ended in demolition. Instead, a public-private partnership redirected that trajectory. The Omni Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), The Vagabond Group, Mt. Zion Community Development Corporation (CDC), the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County Housing and Community Development collaborated to save the structures.
Construction began in early 2019 and was intentionally phased at one building per year to ensure residents could remain housed. The first building was completed within months, allowing residents to return as early as May 2019. The renovated complex includes units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments.
City of Miami District 2 Commissioner and Omni CRA Chair Damian Pardo called the outcome extraordinary.
“This is such an unusual feat that has been accomplished here today,” Pardo said. “It hasn’t displaced anyone. I feel like this project is a heart and soul project, and it really builds the character of the neighborhood and preserves the identity.”…