Guest Author
North Miami is a city full of potential — and full of pressing needs. Residents are calling for safer neighborhoods, more affordable housing, better health care access, jobs that pay a living wage, and public spaces that are truly built for the people who live here. These aren’t abstract desires — they’re urgent needs backed by hard realities.
That’s the vision behind the Claude Pepper Global District. It’s why this project didn’t begin with renderings or revenue models — but rather, with conversations.
We asked: What do residents want to see in their neighborhoods? What are the biggest challenges families are facing? What role can development play in addressing them?
Affordable and workforce housing rose to the top of the list. More than 40% of North Miami residents are cost-burdened, spending over 30% of their income on housing. And while prices climb, options remain scarce — especially for seniors, young families, and essential workers like teachers and first responders, the people who make this city strong. That’s why the Claude Pepper Global District will include over 450 affordable units across its first two phases, beginning with 203 homes for seniors in Phase I.
Health care access is another major gap. For the 5,000 PACE-eligible seniors living within a 7-mile radius of Claude Pepper Park, preventative and urgent care are not always within reach. Our partnership with Miami Jewish Health will bring a 22,000-square-foot PACE Medical & Urgent Care Center directly to the neighborhood — providing care, support services and high-paying jobs. Miami Jewish Health is also one of the largest employers of Haitian Americans in Miami-Dade, reflecting the project’s alignment with the cultural and economic fabric of the city.
Residents also raised concerns about access to healthy food. In North Miami, nearly 1 in 5 households lack consistent access to affordable, nutritious groceries. That’s why Phase II of the project will include a full-service grocery store — a resource not just for future residents of the district, but for families across the surrounding community.
Public spaces matter, too. Claude Pepper Park is a cornerstone of this neighborhood — but for years, it’s needed care and reinvestment. We’ve committed $10 million to park upgrades, including renovated sports fields, new lighting, accessible walking paths and an upgraded community center. During construction, the park will remain open in phases to ensure access. And thanks to DJ Irie, new amphitheater programming will activate the space for youth and families in meaningful ways.
To extend that impact beyond the built environment, we launched the Pepper Foundation: a $500,000, 10-year commitment to youth and community organizations rooted in this neighborhood — starting with a grant to Little Haiti FC.
This project didn’t begin with renderings or revenue models. It began with questions. What do residents want to see in their neighborhoods? What are the biggest challenges families are facing? What role can development play in solving them?
We know development in Miami-Dade often comes with rightful skepticism. Too many projects have been done to the community, not with it. But our goal is different. We want to be held accountable. Because if development doesn’t improve daily life for residents, then it’s missing the point.
North Miami deserves smart, responsible growth that puts people first and fills crucial gaps — housing that’s affordable, health care that’s accessible, parks that are vibrant, and jobs that offer real opportunity. That’s what we’re building together. Not just buildings, but a future that belongs to the people of North Miami.
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Brian A. Sidman is the founder of BAS Holdings Investments, LLC (“BAS”), a Miami-based real estate private equity firm that specializes in forward-thinking recession-resilient real estate investments. From workforce and affordable housing developments to solar energy, mining investments, large-scale land acquisitions, and health care investments, BAS focuses on sectors that are designed to withstand economic downturns, reflecting Sidman’s ability to see opportunities where others may not.
