The Development of Little Havana

I had never been to the Little Havana area in Miami before so I enjoyed seeing a different part of the city. I've been downtown Miami before but never farther than the business district. I never would have realized the development opportunity in Little Havana. Mauricio did a good job of painting the picture of Urban Core. He explained the needs of the community and businesses outside the community looking to invest in property and create a thriving community. Mauricio stated through his research he found that Little Havana has a demand for smaller apartments and family mix apartments that have 3 to 4 bedrooms. Businesses are looking to gravitate to Little Havana because of its close proximity to downtown Miami and the easy access to highway for commuters. It is a drastic change in rents from downtown Miami’s business district to Little Havana that is less than a 10 min drive away.

While I do think Little Havana is a good place to develop it’s a risky move. I can see it being a hard sell to people who can’t see the vision of redevelopment and turning a slum into a vibrant community. I really appreciated the input we received from Jose about the Little Havana community. While Mauricio was able to sell us on why development is a great idea Jose gave us the reality. Jose had been in the community for years so he was able to share with us his experiences. He spoke about the high crime, poverty, and lack of support from the commissioner. The residents and business owners in the community are vital in any development project. They are the ones who know the most about the area so you want to maintain a good rapport with them and create a sense of comradery. I can see the development of Little Havana benefiting the residents by giving them a sense of hope, pride, and stability.

On the other hand, I am concerned about how new development will effect their cost of living. Rents will go up along with overall cost of living. Where does that leave the residents? Will they be forced out of their community where families have lived for decades? Where will they go? Will the new development create jobs for the residents and allow them to continue living in their neighborhood and grow with the community? These are just a few concerns I have when I hear about new development projects and plans in lower income areas. I would like to know the developers plan for the stability of the community.