Riviera Beach Housing Authority
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The grand opening for Heron Estates Senior is January 22, 2020
Initial plans call for a celebration: of the Authority and its history and leadership, of the City and its support and, of course, of the new residents! Government officials at the local, state and federal levels are being invited as are former residents of Ivey Green. Did we say Heron Estates is the first new affordable housing development built in Riviera Beach in nearly 40 years?
Yes. It is.
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And to Heron Estates Senior Residents!
The RBHA Board and Administration wish you, your family and the Heron Estates Senior residents a Merry, Merry Christmas. In fact, there'll be a party! Thanks to the HTG Property Management team, there will be a Christmas Pot Luck dinner for residents on Monday, December 23. It will be a moment long awaited, says Executive Director John W. Hurt. "We have worked for nearly a decade to see that development come to fruition," he said, "so, it's
time
to celebrate!"
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New Board Chair, Vice Chair
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At the December 10 regular Board Meeting, there was a key vote for new team leadership and the outcome was unanimous: Jeffery B. Jackson is the new Board Chairman, while Jessica Thurmond is the new Vice Chairwoman. Both had already been in service on the Board--he was Vice Chair, she was a Commissioner--and, as they both say, their focused work will continue.
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Statement from Delvin M. Thomas
The former Board Chair of nearly four years shares his thoughts as he moves again to a Commissioner's seat. That's him, right, at the 'topping off' ceremony in January during the construction of Heron Estates.
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"I came to this Board without knowing that it had no money, limited resources and, frankly, no support from the community. Through it all, I had a vision of better days to come. Indeed, I am always guided by a quote from Dr. MLK, which I've used all my life:
The measure of a man is tested by taking the first step, even when he can't see the stairs
. After many failed attempts by previous Boards, I led my team to the first affordable housing built in the City in nearly 40 years. I thank my Board for being supportive and for trusting my judgement and leadership, which helped bring us to this point of success. I pray that our new leadership continues our vision of bringing safe and affordable housing to the City. I shall continue to support and, not only work with
our
City, but surrounding cities as well, to bring workforce housing to the masses, which is greatly needed to raise happy children who will become achieving adults."
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State Funding for Housing? Elusive
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In a City where the average rent is $1,200 and a County where the average home price now exceeds $350,000, affordable housing remains elusive for many. The issue is similar statewide, which makes the Sandowski Housing Trust Fund critically important. But state leaders often redirect cash from the fund--created via a statewide real estate transactions tax--to cover shortages in other budget areas. Read a story
here
about efforts to halt that for the 2020 Legislative Session, a notion supported by the Governor. Important? Yes. Just consider that Palm Beach County received $2 million from the fund in 2019—way less than the $17 million it is eligible for.
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Looking for Fun on Sundays?
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Then stop by the City's Marina Village!
TikiMarket at the Marina
is a free Caribbean-themed outdoor market that is diverse, interesting and, as we said, fun. There are vendors selling Jamaican jerk chicken, Bahamian conch dishes, plants, merchandise and Caribbean Rum Punch! The event is held from 4 to 7 p.m. every Sunday through May. More information?
Here
. Bring your lawn chairs!
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Learn More About the RBHA
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The RBHA was founded in 1968 and is a special district of the City of Riviera Beach. It is also an agency of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as are six other housing authorities in Palm Beach County. The five-member Board of Commissioners meets on the second Tuesday of each month at Authority offices. The meetings are open to the public and nearly all information is available to the public by request. Click
here
for more Board information, including meeting dates, agendas and minutes.
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Administration
John W. Hurt
Executive Director
Matthew C. Russell
Board Attorney
Contact Us:
2001 Broadway, suite 101
Riviera Beach, FL 33404
561-845-7450 office
800-431-8738 fax
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Chairman's Corner
I sincerely thank our Board for believing in me. We have worked successfully together for a very long time; their support of me means a lot. As we move forward, we will continue our focus on improving the quantity and quality of affordable housing in Riviera Beach. Indeed, it is something I've worked hard on through my service on the Thousand Oaks HOA Board as well as the RBCRA's nonprofit Community Development Corporation. Job One will be to build a collaborative partnership with the residents of Riviera Beach to create affordable housing, create jobs and increase the standard of living. We will do this by putting residents first in all our endeavors.
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Did You Live In Ivey Green?
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If so, we want to hear from you! We're working on ideas for remembering the 15-acre public housing complex, which was demolished in 2008 following hurricane storm damage. Which made room for Heron Estates. Let us know--especially if you lived in the Seniors tower, like those in the image above, and have pictures and memories to share! Send an email
here
and tell us what you remember.
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Chairman Jeffery B. Jackson
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Vice Chairmwoman Jessica Thurmond
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Commissioner Delvin M. Thomas
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Commissioner Horace L. Towns
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Commissioner Glen L. Spiritis
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