The Urban League of Broward County bought a parcel of land more than 20 years ago at the intersection of Northwest 21st Avenue and Northwest 26th Street in Oakland Park. The plan, then, was to build a new headquarters for the civil-rights organization.
Plans change.
Now, with the Urban League leading the way, there’s a new plan for that parcel and for the 19.4 acres north and west of it: 469 residential units for low- and middle-income families, most for rent, with 114 townhomes for sale.
“We wanted this to be something that would serve the whole community and provide permanent housing for people who need it most,” said Urban League CEO Germaine Smith-Baugh. Profit is not the motive, she said. People are.
The property that will become the Village at Oakland Park within the next few years stretches from 21st Avenue on the east to the property line west of Harris Chapel, a church that pitched in with the Urban League to bring the Village to life.
Another parcel came from the Broward school district, which had the property between the church and the lot the Urban League once eyed for its headquarters. What was once the Rock Island Professional Development Center will soon be low-income apartment buildings.
Smith-Baugh initially met with some resistance. Residents of the surrounding neighborhood were put off at first. Over the last few years, Smith-Baugh won them over.
“Everybody thought she was crazy and it’ll never happen,” said Sierra Marrero, director of engineering and community development for the city of Oakland Park. “She was really just trying to help solve a crisis. And she turned all of the naysayers into some of the biggest supporters of this project.”
Officials at the church agreed.
“This is a community where people work hard to maintain their homes and they care about making sure changes are for the better,” said Marilyn Davis, the church’s treasurer.
To qualify to rent or buy at the Village, potential households must earn somewhere between $25,000 and $98,000, which is between 30% and 120% of the median income for Broward County as of 2024.
Vernon Hargray, the church’s president and a former city manager for Miramar, said he was impressed with the vision for the Village, which includes a day care center, a community center, playgrounds and hundreds of parking spaces.
Oakland Park has issued several years of approvals to bring the proposal to pass, and earlier this month the Broward County Commission cleared the way for the site development to actually get underway.
While groundbreaking has not been scheduled, it is expected to take place later this year.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. Follow him on Threads.net/@rafael.olmeda.