Transitional Housing Development in Lake Worth Beach Opens
By Jade Jarvis
Anchor/Reporter
Updated: 6:48 PM EDT October 30, 2024
ABC 25 WPBF News
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LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. - Palm Beach County officials are introducing a brand-new transitional housing development in Lake Worth Beach.
They held a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, October 30th to introduce the colorful new community.
It is all thanks to a partnership between the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners and the West Palm Beach Housing Authority.
"I think that this is a project that will live on for generations and generations. In fact, I can already hear the kids playing outside. This is a community. These are 17 detached, detached cottages that really hearken to a day when we all lived in and grew up in communities," Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs said.
The community, located off of South Military Trail, is called Prosperity Village Cottage Homes.
It has 17 detached, single-family homes and a clubhouse dedicated to providing transitional housing for families without homes and living in county shelters and hotels.
"With this innovative small loft concept utilized for this project, we are pioneering a model that promotes community living while maximizing uniqueness. And I couldn't be prouder of the work we have accomplished," Linda Odum, executive director of the West Palm Beach Housing Authority, said.
Workers broke ground on the project last year, which is located on repurposed county land and funded by the county's infrastructure sales tax.
The homes are between one and two stories and range from 980 to 1,200 square feet, with one being Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant.
"This is the best approach to address homelessness in our community. These are transitional homes, but when you walk inside them, they don't look transitional. It gives those individuals hope. They got a home. They got something. They can close the door, lock it, and they're proud of it," Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia C. Baker said.
Officials are hoping to move families into the homes in the next 30 to 45 days.
