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Camillus House News
Work begins on Labre Place, a 90-Unit Apartment building to house and help the homeless
May 22, 2008
by Janet Rice
City, county and state officials joined developers and Camillus House to break ground on Labre.
For 90 men and women in Miami-Dade, the dream of having an affordable apartment to call home began last week, as champions of their cause dug their shovels deep into the dirt at 350 Northwest Fourth Street in Overtown.
The May 21 groundbreaking event kicked off the construction of Labre Place, a new 90-unit high-rise residential building for 50 formerly homeless and 40 low-income residents. (See below for complete Labre Place details.)
Labre Place is named in honor of Benedict Joseph Labre, the Catholic Patron Saint of persons who are homeless. Labre, the son of a French merchant, rejected the posh life of a merchant, choosing instead to help the poor, mentally ill and homeless, He was canonized in 1881.
Guests at the Labre Place groundbreaking included city, county, state and federal officials, as well as the officers, board members and staff of Camillus House and the project builders.
In the invocation, Father David G. Russell prayed, “Make Labre Place a place of safety. May it rise from the ground as a sign we live in Your Will.” Father David said the completed building will symbolize “justice at work…love made visible.”
Camillus House CEO and President Dr. Paul Ahr thanked housing partners Biscayne Housing Group and Carlisle Development Group, who will be building Labre Place. He also thanked Brother Bill Osmanski and Brother Charles Searson of Camillus for their dedicated support.
Miami Mayor Manny Diaz said that the groundbreaking was “a remarkable occasion.”
“I’m very proud of how innovative we are in Miami. I can tell you, it amazes people across the country,” he continued. “We may be the first city in the United States to end chronic homelessness.” The mayor was referencing a pledge by Camillus House and its partners to end chronic homelessness in Miami-Dade within a decade.
Speaking for Miami-Dade County, Commissioner Audrey Edmonson remarked that the Labre Place project “is an example of what we do well.” She added, “Camillus House’s dedication is a beacon of light. The county is much better because of them.”
In his remarks, Michael Cox of Biscayne Housing Group pointed out that the formerly homeless and low-income beneficiaries of Labre Place are not the only people that the project will help. “Florida is in a recession, but this project will be putting 300 people to work from 30 local companies.”
Carlisle Development Group representative Lloyd Boggio referenced statistics from a recent Miami Herald op-ed written by Dr. Ahr. “Camillus House’s results in the fight against homelessness are stunning. There’s been a two-third reduction in people on the street in Miami. They are getting it done. If they were a national company, people would buy their stock.”
Camillus House Board Chairman Bob Dickinson thanked Bank of America and Wachovia for granting the private financing required. “They had plenty of opportunity for tax credits and didn’t have to take on this project. These kinds of projects are hard to do, so we are grateful.”
David Raymond of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust reflected on how bleak the situation for the homeless used to be in Miami-Dade and provided encouraging updated statistics. “In 1994, there were just 700 beds for the homeless. There were 8,000 people living on the street. Miami-Dade was infested with poverty. Now, there are 5,700 beds and another 1,000 in the pipeline. This is all because of your work.”
After the speakers officially broke ground on the project site, attendees enjoyed snacks, soft drinks and conversation before heading back out into the hot Miami day – taking with them commemorative plaques and the feeling that they had just been part of a dream in the making.
More about Labre Place
Labre Place will be a nine-story high-rise building, made up of 90 one-bedroom apartments. Fifty of the units will be set-aside for persons who were formerly homeless and will be placed by Camillus House. The remaining 40 tenants will be persons who qualify as low-income residents under federal guidelines. Labre Place was awarded state and federal funding in addition to private loans.
The new residential building will be very close to local public transportation and to Interstate Highway 95. In addition, residents have easy access to Camillus Health Concern, which provides primary health care services to the homeless and low-income populations of Miami-Dade County.
Labre Place is also located a short distance away from employment centers (offices, retail and industrial), houses of worship, parks, stores, hospitals, fire station, library and other community services. To enhance residents’ quality of life, special programs and activities will be implemented at no cost to them.
Biscayne Housing and Carlisle Development Group will lead in all construction and management services related to the project. Camillus House will provide supportive services to the formerly homeless residents to ensure their stability and quality of life. These services will include medical care, behavioral health treatment and employment assistance.
Labre Place’s construction will be concrete block stucco; floors of reinforced concrete; plaster over lathe or drywall over wood stud walls and a cement roof.
The surrounding area has been experiencing new development, including multifamily rental rehabilitation and new construction. The immediate vicinity is home to a number of relatively old single-family houses and a substantial number of small retail businesses. The Civic Center neighborhood and the northwest section of the City of Miami in particular, have suffered years of decline that can be seen in its low-end retail, sub-standard housing and considerable high rents. The area recently has been a focus of public sector and private sector re-investment.
In addition to meeting all building code, Fair Housing Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, Labre Place will have all of the required Florida Housing Finance Corporation features and amenities for the homeless, such as a multifunctional community center with library and computer lab and unit amenities such as air conditioning, cable TV hook-up, ceiling fan, and window treatments.
LABRE PLACE FEATURES:
UNIT AMENITIES
· High energy reverse cycle air conditioning
· Electric water heater
· Cable TV hook-up
· Window treatments
· Single pane windows
· Marble window sills
· Ceiling fans in all bedrooms and living area
· Ceramic tile bathroom floors
· Laundry hook-ups and space for full size washer & dryer
· Wall insulation
· Peepholes in all exterior doors
SITE AMENITIES
· Community Center
· Library
· Central laundry facility
· Gated entrance
· Termite prevention and pest control
· Exterior lighting in open and common areas
RESIDENT PROGRAMS
· Homeownership opportunity program
· Welfare to work or self sufficiency program
· Job training
· Health care
· Resident activities
· Resident assistance referral program
· Financial counseling
