DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — WPTV is helping you navigate the housing crisis and rising cost of living as it continues to take a toll on families across the nation.
In Delray Beach, protecting Black families who have lived in the area for generations has become an urgent concern. Local residents have shared their struggles with WPTV, expressing that the increasing costs are forcing many to lose their homes.
WATCH BELOW: Jamel Murray shares with WPTV why he values the historical ties to Delray Beach
WPTV's Joel Lopez is exploring a community-driven project known as We Are Home designed to address the housing needs of families in a historically Black neighborhood of Delray Beach.
The goal is clear, to build affordable homes that enable families to remain in a place they have called home for generations, ensuring growth and stability for the future and to maintain the historical essence of this vibrant community, particularly in a neighborhood known as "The Set," located just north of Atlantic Avenue.
“It's a historic Black neighborhood of Delray Beach. We want to see Black families here in the next hundred years, living all around and thriving,” said Chuck Ridley. “We're not afraid of gentrification; we're not afraid of development, because we've taken control of our destiny.”
Ridley is the chair of the West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition, shares the importance of protecting this rich heritage through "We Are Home."
The We Are Home project is a collaboration between the Delray Beach Community Development Corporation, private developer Pulte Homes, and the Shared Future Foundation, and the Coalition.
It is aimed at supporting legacy families amidst the current housing crisis by creating affordable homes on lots that have long been owned by these families.
Sara Selznick, who runs the Shared Future Foundation, highlights the transformative effects of homeownership in this community.
“The minute they get that key, we've just created a lot of generational wealth in the neighborhood,” she notes, emphasizing how vital this project is for local families.
She adds they are working to ensure that the benefits of development stay within the community.
"In this neighborhood, you're seeing houses now are selling for half a million to a million dollars," she said. "So, it makes it extremely affordable."
The project specifically targets families with incomes between $60,000 and $124,000 who have lived in The Set for generations. It focuses on constructing homes on vacant or underutilized lots owned by long-standing residents.
The Delray Beach Community Development Corporation assists families with mortgage qualification, and once approved, they can enter a workforce housing program.
Families are then paired with Pulte Homes developers, who seek to fulfill workforce housing credits.
Sales prices for the homes are capped at an affordable $220,000, making homeownership a feasible reality for local families.
One of those is Jamel Murray.
He's a father of two and a football coach at Atlantic Avenue, shares his deep-rooted connection to the neighborhood as he approaches the site of his future home.
“I’ve lived in Delray all my life,” he reflected.
“Have you seen any of your childhood friends have to move out?” Lopez asked.
“I have, I have,” Murray responded. “A lot of people move even out of state just to find better housing prices and numbers. That’s sad. You lose childhood memories, lose childhood friends."
Murray's sentiment resonates with many in the community who value their historical ties. Standing where his future house will be constructed, he expresses both pride and determination.
“It’s tough to imagine it all, just the opportunity to be in this position," he said. "This is a place you want to keep everybody home.”
Already three homes have been built with another five currently in permitting.
We Are Home said they can build even more affordable legacy houses this year based on available lots.
