Rents Starting at $1,500: Affordable Housing Leasing Begins at Greater St. Paul AME’s Williams Hibiscus Project in Little Bahamas

A years-long effort to rebuild affordable housing stock in Little Bahamas is entering a new phase, as leasing is set to open for income-restricted units at a rehabilitated rental building on William Avenue in Coconut Grove’s West Grove neighborhood.

The project, known as the Williams Hibiscus Project, is a partnership between Greater St. Paul AME Church and Dragonfly Investments. It is part of a broader initiative to restore historic homes throughout the historically Bahamian West Grove, where decades of gentrification and rising property values have made it increasingly difficult for longtime residents to remain.

According to a notice filed with the City of Miami’s Department of Housing & Community Development, marketing and leasing for six income-restricted units at 3574 William Ave. will begin October 29, 2026. The city received notice of the leasing activity in September 2026.

Rental rates for the units are set to start as low as $1,500 per month, notably below market rate for the area, where typical rents on the same block have recently run several times higher, according to listings data.

City records show construction on Phase II of the project, which includes the William Avenue building, is currently underway.

The William Avenue leasing marks the latest step in a project that ultimately calls for restoring ten homes across two sites in Little Bahamas. Earlier phases focused on Hibiscus Street, where Greater St. Paul AME Church and Dragonfly Investments renovated a pair of 86-year-old cottages rather than demolishing them — an approach meant to preserve the architectural and cultural character of the neighborhood while still adding affordable units.

That smaller-scale, preservation-minded model has drawn attention from local officials as a potential template for other affordable housing efforts in the West Grove, where large-scale redevelopment has often been at odds with the neighborhood’s historic Bahamian heritage.
The project sits within City of Miami Commission District 2, represented by Commissioner Damian Pardo, whose office has pointed to the Hibiscus-area work as evidence that community-scale restoration projects can attract support, and potentially funding, for similar efforts elsewhere in the neighborhood.

Little Bahamas has long been one of Miami’s most historically significant Bahamian neighborhoods, but it has seen its affordable housing stock shrink considerably as Coconut Grove real estate values have climbed. City and county officials have launched several initiatives in recent years, including projects on Hibiscus Street, Mundy Street, and now William Avenue, aimed at slowing displacement and preserving long-term residents’ access to the neighborhood.

The William Avenue units are among six currently being brought online through the Williams Hibiscus Project, with applications accepted until a sufficient number are received.

Leasing information: 305-448-2742 or leasing@greaterstpaulame.com. Leasing activity will take place at Greater St. Paul AME Church, 3680 Thomas Ave., Miami, FL 33133.