In Delray Beach, Florida, a local project is fighting to keep Black-American families from being pushed out of their community.
As property values soar and long-time residents are priced out, the We Are Home initiative is building affordable homes for families who’ve lived there for generations, helping them hold on to the places they’ve always called home.
Protecting The Set’s future
The project focuses on The Set, a historically Black neighbourhood just north of Atlantic Avenue. Rising property values and gentrification have put enormous pressure on legacy families. Houses in the area now sell for up to a million dollars, making it nearly impossible for working families to stay. The goal is to counter this trend with homes priced around $220,000, developed on land already owned by these families.
The effort is led by a coalition of local groups, including the West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition, Pulte Homes, the Delray Beach Community Development Corporation, and the Shared Future Foundation. Families are supported through mortgage qualification and then paired with builders to create homes tailored to their needs.
Holding on to home
Sara Selznick of the Shared Future Foundation calls it a chance to build generational wealth, not just homes. For many, including youth football coach and lifelong resident Jamel Murray, it’s deeply personal. He’s watched childhood friends move away in search of cheaper housing and sees this initiative as a way to keep the fabric of the community intact.
The minute they get that key, we’ve just created a lot of generational wealth in the neighborhood
Sara Selznick
So far, three homes have been built, with more on the way. The team behind We Are Home says they’re ready to expand further as more vacant plots are identified. So far, three homes have been completed, with construction on two additional homes set to begin within the month. The project plans to build at least 15 homes in the coming years to help families stay in the area as prices rise.
For Black families in Delray Beach, this isn’t just about housing—it’s about protecting culture, roots, and a future that still feels like home.
Key Takeaways
A local initiative in Delray Beach, Florida, is building affordable homes to help Black families remain in their community amid rising home prices and gentrification.
- Impact: As home prices and gentrification intensify, long-time Black families risk being displaced from their neighborhoods, endangering their cultural heritage and generational wealth.
- Action: The We Are Home initiative is constructing affordable homes priced around $220,000 on parcels owned by legacy families to enable them to stay in their communities.
- Empowerment: By assisting families with mortgage qualification and custom home building, the initiative seeks to foster generational wealth and maintain the cultural fabric of the community.
