A new kind of for-sale home is about to start construction in Little Haiti.

The South Florida Community Land Trust will break ground on Place Louverture, 13 townhomes on a vacant block at 6601 NE Miami Place, on Thursday, Nov. 12, according to its event listing. The free ceremony runs 10 to 11:30 a.m. and asks guests to RSVP. Questions go to housing@southfloridaclt.org.

The group bills it as Miami-Dade's first community land trust homes for sale. A 2022 county memo approving up to $2.75 million in housing funds also called it the first project of its kind in the county.

How a land trust home works

A community land trust is a nonprofit that splits the house from the land, the land trust explains:

  • You buy the home itself.
  • The trust keeps the land and leases it to you under a long-term ground lease.
  • When you sell, the price is capped by a formula so the home stays affordable. You keep the value of improvements you made.

Because you are not paying for the land, the price is lower than a similar home on the open market. The tradeoff is less upside when you sell.

Prices and who can qualify

The trust says on its homeownership page that the homes will be priced in the $200,000s and $300,000s. Most are for buyers earning 60% to 80% of the area median income, with a few for buyers earning up to 140%.

For a sense of scale, Florida Housing's 2026 income limits put 80% of the median in Miami-Dade at $76,300 for one person and $109,000 for a household of four. At 140%, the limit is $133,560 for one person. The land trust sets final rules for this project.

The Haitian American Community Development Corporation, which sold the land to the trust in 2018, offers homebuyer counseling and help finding down payment programs. Funders include the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County, the Florida Community Loan Fund, JPMorganChase, Citibank and the Little Haiti Revitalization Trust.

The design mixes the coastal look of Jacmel, Haiti, with Miami Modern style. The trust has not announced a finish date or when applications open.

What it means for buyers

Place Louverture adds homes to buy. Nearby, the Magic City plan on NE 60th Street calls for 553 rental apartments. If you plan to buy here, it helps to know how county condo supply and the new Amendment 3 homestead break affect your costs.

Buying or selling in Little Haiti? The Miami Lookout is founded by Joe Biscaha, a Miami real estate advisor with Compass.

A street with low-rise buildings in southern Little Haiti
A street in southern Little Haiti. Source