This Florida Mall Has Gucci, Prada … and Soon, Affordable Housing?
This Florida Mall Has Gucci, Prada … and Soon, Affordable Housing? The New York Times
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A New Law Allows Developers to Bypass Zoning Rules for Affordable Housing
A new law lets developers bypass local zoning rules if they promise “work force housing.” It has stirred an uproar around the state, most recently in affluent Bal Harbour.
In Bal Harbour, Fla., an oceanside village north of Miami Beach, a luxury mall says it wants to help tackle one of the nation’s — and Florida’s — most intractable problems: a lack of affordable housing.
It is an unexpected move for a retail temple where Gucci, Chanel and Rolex are on offer. Affordable? Here?
But in a rare instance of bipartisan agreement, the Florida Legislature passed a law last spring intended to encourage projects like the one that the owner of the mall, Bal Harbour Shops, has in mind. Called the Live Local Act, the law allows developers to bypass certain local zoning rules and to qualify for tax breaks if their projects include enough “work force housing.”
Local officials around the state, stripped of their power to say no, don’t like it. And nowhere has seen more backlash to date than little Bal Harbour.
For 40 years, the mall’s owner, Whitman Family Development, has wanted to build a hotel alongside the shopping center, on Collins Avenue, the village’s main drag. Neighbors and elected leaders repeatedly rejected the idea. But when the new housing law passed, the owner saw a way in.
The company filed an application last month to build a 20-story hotel and three residential towers with 600 units, 240 of which would be priced low enough to qualify as work force housing under the law. If the plan meets the law’s requirements, the village of about 3,100 people — where the median household income is about $86,000 a year, well above the state average — will be unable to stop it.
Intractable Affordable Housing Issue in Bal Harbour, Florida
Developer’s Plan for Affordable Housing in Bal Harbour
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
The issue of a lack of affordable housing in Bal Harbour, Florida is connected to SDG 11, which aims to ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The article mentions the Live Local Act, a law that allows developers to bypass certain local zoning rules and qualify for tax breaks if their projects include enough “work force housing.” This connects to SDG 8, which focuses on promoting development-oriented policies that support decent job creation and entrepreneurship.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
The article highlights the lack of affordable housing in Bal Harbour and the efforts of developers to include “work force housing” in their projects to meet the requirements of the Live Local Act.
Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises
The Live Local Act, mentioned in the article, promotes development-oriented policies by incentivizing developers to include “work force housing” in their projects.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
There are no specific indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. The article mainly focuses on the introduction of the Live Local Act and the potential impact on local zoning rules and affordable housing in Bal Harbour.
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Source: nytimes.com
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