Gentrification Threatens the Cornerstone of the Homestead Community

By Ernest Fredony Jr.

Ministere Jesus Haitian has been the cornerstone of the Homestead community since 1959. Beyond religious activities, this church provides a wide range of benefits to its congregation and the wider communities through social support, education, practical assistance, and community events. This includes facilitating food pantries, running soup kitchens, and donating clothes and furniture.

However, Bear Atlantic Group (BAG) threatens to demolish this site as they currently await approval to start development of a multi-family housing project called "Homestead Commons". BAG promises that along with the new housing units, they'll build a new church along with office space.

This comes with a lot of skepticism, considering that along with the rest of America, Miami's housing crisis suffers from soaring prices and rent, shortages of affordable units, and a rapid increase in house prices which is hardly supported by the current administration and its economy.

The promise of a replacement church rings hollow when Miami-Dade already suffers from a housing crisis driven by developments that prioritize profit over community needs.