Advocacy and Rent Subsidy Program

Urban Philanthropies has taken a stand against wholesale gentrification in Overtown as a result of public and private investments in and around Overtown. We have proposed a rent subsidy program to the Community Reinvestment Agency (CRA) and are working to organize a group of banks to pledge renovation loans to landlords within critical pockets of resident housing in Overtown. These loans would be supported by CRA subsidies that ensure rents at HUD market rate levels in support of renovation loans. In the meantime, Urban Philanthropies rescued and relocated 5 elderly households from a dilapidated property at 1034 NW 3rd avenue. We currently have committed to subsidize these households through 2017 at a cost of $1800 per month. Without this assistance, these Overtown residents would be living in unsafe conditions, unable to afford decent housing.