In contrast, the state’s Live Local Act provides an alternative pathway for developers. On eligible sites, the act grants significant development benefits in exchange for a commitment to affordability. Projects utilizing this law must reserve at least 40% of their units for households earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI) for a minimum of 30 years. While this could introduce new "affordable" options, critics point out that 120% of the AMI is often still out of reach for Little Havana’s lowest-income residents. Furthermore, the push for redevelopment raises concerns about the demolition of older, naturally occurring affordable housing, which could lead to the displacement of long-term renters.
The difference between the proposed zoning and traditional affordable housing is exemplified by Brisas del Sol. This $53.3 million development, which opened in March, provides 146 apartments strictly reserved for households earning between 30% and 80% of the AMI. That project was made possible through $2.25 million in federal HOME funds provided by the city. While Brisas del Sol offers a blueprint for deep affordability, the new zoning proposal relies on a more hands-off approach, betting on increased capacity to solve the supply-and-demand imbalance.
A Decade of Visionary Planning: The Plusurbia Strategy
The current proposal is not a sudden invention but the result of years of study. In 2015, the planning and design firm Plusurbia developed a revitalization proposal for Calle Ocho, which expanded into a broader neighborhood plan in 2019. That same year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released the "Me Importa" (It Matters to Me) Revitalization Master Plan, a document built on two years of research and input from more than 2,700 local stakeholders.
The goal of these efforts, according to Megan McLaughlin, Plusurbia’s director of preservation projects, was to link historic preservation with modern urban needs like walkability and better housing options. The strategy was built on the idea of "incremental development" rather than the traditional model of developers buying up entire city blocks to build massive complexes. McLaughlin noted that when developers wait for "big" opportunities, they often hold onto vacant lots for years, leaving gaps in the neighborhood fabric.
To counter this, Plusurbia proposed a concept known as "inverse density." This would grant greater density allowances to smaller lots, incentivizing owners to build on what they have rather than selling to a conglomerate. "The smaller the lot, the more density the city would give you," McLaughlin explained. This approach aims to preserve the "DNA" of the neighborhood by measuring the height, setbacks, and sidewalk widths of historic structures and integrating those measurements into the modern building code. By encouraging compatible infill buildings, the city could theoretically add significant housing without an abrupt or jarring change in scale.
Mobility and the Challenge of Infrastructure
For Juan Mullerat, the founder of Plusurbia, the success of any density plan is inextricably linked to transportation. Mullerat argues that the common fear that more people automatically means more traffic is a misconception, provided the housing is placed correctly. "Housing in the right locations, paired with usable transit connections, can reduce car trips," he noted.
This philosophy of "gentle density"—incorporating small apartment buildings, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), triplexes, and four-unit buildings—is intended to serve a variety of needs, from students to multi-generational families. However, Mullerat admitted that the gap between being "near" transit and having "access" to it is a major hurdle in Miami. He cited the West Grove neighborhood as an example, where a train station is physically close but requires pedestrians to cross six lanes of high-speed traffic on U.S. 1.
The infrastructure concerns are not limited to transit. During the September hearing, some property owners and residents voiced sharp opposition, questioning whether the city’s basic services could handle a population surge. One owner pointed to a 2016 study suggesting that existing zoning already allowed for eight times the number of housing units recorded in 2010. "How much is enough? How much is too much?" the owner asked, citing concerns over drinking water supplies, sewage treatment, garbage disposal, and hurricane evacuation routes.
