16 Corner is an affordable housing restoration project located in Historic Overtown, Miami, Florida. It was developed by The Vagabond Group in a Public-Private Partnership with the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency (Omni CRA), Mt. Zion Community Development Corporation, and Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD) from 2018 to 2026.

Delivering 16 Corner required navigating a complex set of challenges typical of preservation-focused, infill affordable housing projects. These included assembling a multi-layered public-private capital stack, managing extended public funding review and reimbursement timelines, and absorbing pandemic-related construction cost escalation and supply-chain disruptions. Once construction began, extensive structural deterioration transformed the scope into a near-total rebuild, demonstrating that renovation is not always more cost-effective than new construction. Phased rehabilitation to avoid resident displacement extended timelines and carrying costs, while security risks at a small construction site introduced additional unplanned expenses. Unanticipated infrastructure conditions and limited escalation pathways for resolving interagency issues further delayed progress, underscoring the vulnerability of preservation projects to system-level coordination gaps.

Taken together, these first-hand experiences highlight the operational and financial realities of preservation-focused affordable housing and explain why small-scale projects are often difficult to deliver under current frameworks without targeted policy support. Based on these lessons, the developer identified three policy recommendations to improve feasibility and scalability.

Impact Highlights

• 44 affordable homes preserved in a neighborhood where demolition would have reduced housing to 12 units

• Zero permanent resident displacement through phased construction and on-site temporary relocation

• Long-term affordability secured via a 30-year Affordable Housing Covenant on all units

• Legacy tenants protected, with average rents at 33% AMI and some as low as 19% AMI

• Full building restoration "down-to-the-studs" in addition to rebuilding from inside out with upgraded new structural systems, enhanced soundproofing, and high-quality fixtures and finishes

• Community partnership embedded, with Mt. Zion CDC as an ownership partner supporting outreach and access

• Local economic impact generated by engaging local contractors and small businesses

• Infill preservation model demonstrated, maintaining neighborhood continuity and efficient use of existing zoning

• Policy lessons emerged on funding timing, renovation realities, and the need for stronger support for small-scale infill affordable housing