BUILDING THE FUTURE

It has spent decades as a dream, several years in the making, quite a few months in the works...  And now we can finally say: it’s official! 

Actually, it’s been official since September 1st, 2022, when the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners approved two agenda items that are the first major steps in making this project a reality —and brings Rudy Bustamante,  MagicWaste Youth Foundation’s founder and president, closer to seeing his dream of creating housing for South Florida’s former foster youths come to fruition. 

As planned, the Palmetto Station Development Plan seeks to do much more than that. It will offer workforce housing to a myriad families in Miami-Dade County, especially to those in the north western quadrant of the county, adjacent to Doral and Medley. 

Comprised of 1,030 residential units, it will provide local families affordable living options with income and rents capped at various AMI levels, as well as housing set aside for members of the military and veterans.

And where does MagicWaste Youth Foundation and our county's former foster youths come into the picture? 

Forty units are being set aside for MWYF to provide housing to young adults that are aging out of foster care and meet the EXCALIBUR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROJECT requirements. MagicWaste Youth Foundation will also have office space at the project for on-site services (career counseling, financial planning, holiday gatherings, etc.) .

Tenants will have access to a OUR GROUNDS Coffee Shop, which provides vocational training, education and employment opportunities to adults with intellectual and cognitive disabilities. The project also sets aside a minimum of 51% of retail space for non-profit tenants at below market rates.