Miami Beach residents forced to move as affordable housing set to become boutique hotel

An affordable housing apartment in Miami Beach is now telling its residents that they have to move out.

Back in 2023, the Riviera Plaza Apartments was approved by the City of Miami Beach’s Historic Preservation Board to renovate the 1920s building into a boutique hotel.

But for the families that live in its 63 units, they are now scrambling to figure out where they will live.

“For us, it was a little shocking,” said Brandon Aguillar, a resident of over 12 years.

He told NBC6 that he saw this eviction notice coming. The notice stated that residents are given 60 days to move out, and that they will need to leave by the last day of August.

Aguillar said he was able to find a place on the beach but is now paying more than $1,000 more in rent.

“It’s crazy that all of these apartments, everywhere you go, is going up in prices and you don’t have anywhere to live," he said.

He’s worried for his elderly neighbors like Cruz Tamayo, who said in Spanish that it just is what it is. She said that the owners and managers can do what they want, that it’s their property, and there is nothing they can do about it.

Back in March of 2023, the Historic Preservation Board voted to have developers add additional units, a rooftop pool, and an outside terrace to the Riviera Plaza Apartments.

It would convert the affordable housing unit back into a boutique hotel, something the Miami Design Preservation League says is a double-edged sword.

“The historic preservation of the building protects the facades and protects the historic integrity, but it does not have any restrictions on the use of the property," said Daniel Ciraldo with the Preservation League. "And I know that it’s something city officials have been looking to see if there are ways to incentivize keeping these as residential.”

On the day of the project's approval last year, the board hinted that this isn’t the first project like this: “We do believe ultimately when these projects are successfully completed, which is the vast majority of the time that they do represent a much more robust, resilient building that will be structurally in accordance with the current Florida building code, which many of these buildings are not, and will ultimately last much longer and into the future.”

The Preservation League said since the '90s, dozens of buildings have pushed residents out and tourists in, however, all while maintaining the building's history.

But those who call this city home, like Aguillar, aren’t too happy with what they are seeing.

“I feel uncomfortable with that because Miami Beach, I wish it was more residential and not touristy, we already have hotels, I don’t know why we need more hotels," he said. "But I know it’s a political thing, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

The City of Miami Beach said that Legal Services of Greater Miami spoke to residents Thursday night to help address their concerns and potentially find them assistance. Residents said that so far they have been offered $500 to move out by the move-out date.

NBC6 reached out to the mayor of Miami Beach to ask about the trend of projects like this one but did not hear back as of Friday afternoon. NBC6 also reached out to all members of the Historic Preservation Board and did not hear back.

NBC6 also reached out to the architects listed on the project, who said that they are no longer involved. NBC6 reached out to the owner of the building, and as of Friday afternoon are still awaiting a response.