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Billy Jean Louis

Billy Jean Louis

Billy Jean Louis is the founder and editor-in-chief of Miami Affordable Magazine. He can be reached at billyjeanlouis@miamiaffordablemagazine.org.

Inside the $2M Affordable Housing Company She Built from the Ground Up

Inside the $2M Affordable Housing Company She Built from the Ground Up

Dionnedria Robertson makes about $30,000 per year as an elementary school teacher and said she cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment in a decent Miami neighborhood. She jumped on the first opportunity when she learned about co-living, a concept where landlords — such as affordable housing investor Donnise Webb — rent individual

Miami Developers Can Save Thousands — But Few Know About This New Program

Miami Developers Can Save Thousands — But Few Know About This New Program

As development pressure intensifies in Little Haiti, a new program is offering local property owners something many feel they’ve lacked: the tools to stay, build, and compete. The Small-Scale Development Program is providing free training to help property owners develop or rehabilitate their properties—an effort aimed at preventing

It Can Take Years to Build Housing in Miami. City Leaders Say That’s the Problem

It Can Take Years to Build Housing in Miami. City Leaders Say That’s the Problem

In Miami, building new housing can take years before construction even begins—and city officials say the slow permitting process is a major reason why. Mayor Eileen Higgins said she is working to speed up approvals, calling the current system “very slow” and in need of reform. She announced the

$7M Lost Annually in Florida due to Real Estate Scams: Can Miami Residents Protect Themselves?

$7M Lost Annually in Florida due to Real Estate Scams: Can Miami Residents Protect Themselves?

When Gregory Bianco and his spouse were law students in 2011, they believed they had finally found an apartment they could afford. A woman posing as a realtor pressured them relentlessly, calling every few hours until the couple sent her $4,200 to secure the listing. They never saw the

Here’s how you can get up to $200,000 from Commissioner Christine King

Here’s how you can get up to $200,000 from Commissioner Christine King

Cherlyn Dormeus received $200,000 from Chairwoman and District 5 Commissioner Christine King’s First-Time Homebuyer Program and is still in disbelief that she now owns a three-bedroom home in Wynwood. “What a beautiful home, so it’s breathtaking,” Dormeus, a single mother of two boys, said. “Every day I