The situation of homelessness has garnered a lot of negative attention in South Florida, but a group known as H.O.M.E.S. Inc. is taking proactive steps to address it. H.O.M.E.S. stands for Housing Opportunities, Mortgage Assistance & Effective Neighborhood Solutions Inc. This organization is not only providing aid to those in need but also contributing to the revitalization of Northeast 13th Street in Fort Lauderdale, where its headquarters is located.
Established in 1998 by Katharine Barry, H.O.M.E.S. has constructed and rehabilitated over 225 affordable homes for low-income families. Additionally, it has assisted more than 1,500 individuals in finding affordable rental opportunities and has housed over 200 young adults who have aged out of foster care across the county.
H.O.M.E.S. Inc. is one of four nonprofit development partners responsible for administering $28 million in federal funds to prevent neighborhood deterioration. They have purchased, renovated, and resold over 175 foreclosed houses to new qualified low- to moderate-income buyers, contributing to the stabilization of the community.
H.O.M.E.S. has a scattered collection of multifamily units to rent for families that are below 80 percent of the median income in Broward, CEO Linda Taylor says.
In 2007, Taylor became a part of the agency, assumed the role of co-leader in 2017, and eventually became the principal executive following Barry’s retirement in 2021. Taylor acknowledges Barry’s relentless advocacy, highlighted by frequent meeting attendance and collaboration with the city and county.
H.O.M.E.S. established its presence in the neighborhood in 2006 and currently occupies a two-acre campus situated at the southwest corner of 13th Street and Dixie Highway. The campus offers affordable commercial space to small businesses and nonprofits, accommodates an artist collective, and features a community garden.
A neighborhood transformed
Thanks to H.O.M.E.S. community initiatives, 13th Street has been transformed into a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood featuring restaurants, bars, a gym, a pottery studio, a coffee shop and attorney offices. Native Realty, a significant contributor to the revitalization of Flagler Village, has multiple storefronts and other available spaces in the area.
“When we moved here, many of the buildings on this street were boarded up. Crime was rampant,” Taylor says.
The staff at H.O.M.E.S. implemented a buddy system when leaving work due to safety concerns. H.O.M.E.S. collaborated with Florida Atlantic University to organize a community charette at Fort Lauderdale High School, which included participation from four neighborhood associations. One of the proposed concepts was to establish the neighborhood as an art-centric area. This vision is manifested in a traffic circle roundabout adjacent to H.O.M.E.S., adorned with 15-foot art panels created by households within the neighborhood.
“I think people had an opportunity to come to our campus and play with art and then see it installed and see their fingerprints on it. So, that just furthered the investment,” Taylor says.
The city enhanced the streetscape by incorporating bicycle lanes, which helped to reduce traffic congestion between the FEC Railway tracks and Northeast Fourth Avenue. In addition, the community organized street festivals and a whimsical fun run where participants dressed up in costumes. Moreover, the neighborhood associations collaborated to establish the Central City Alliance.
It’s taken 10 years to get this far, Taylor says, “but today it feels just like what the community said they wanted to become—a walkable, bikeable, thriving neighborhood where it is safe for people and their children to be outside.”
To learn more about H.O.M.E.S., please visit www.homesfl.org.
