[CPEO-BIF] MerryPlace, West Palm Beach, Florida

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

MerryPlace's Ambitious Goals


BY DONNA KIMURA
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE
February 2009


WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. - MerryPlace, a newly completed 130-unit 
affordable housing development, is a cornerstone in the revitalization 
of one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. The apartments are the 
first step in a lofty plan to bring new rental and for-sale housing to a 
blighted section of West Palm Beach that has seen little development in 
recent years. The first affordable housing development to be certified 
green by the Florida Green Building Coalition, MerryPlace also tapped a 
unique state brownfield tax rebate to help finance the project.

"MerryPlace has completely changed the neighborhood," says Laurel 
Robinson, executive director of the West Palm Beach Housing Authority, 
which co-developed the project with Banc of America Community 
Development Corp. (CDC).

When Robinson walks through the area, she sees a brand-new community. 
"We have 13 buildings there, and you see families coming in with their 
groceries, kids laughing and enjoying the attractive surroundings," she 
says.

...

For the entire article, see
http://www.housingfinance.com/ahf/articles/2009/feb/0209-regional-merryplace.htm

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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