Leaders worry higher home values will push out longtime residents

Anestimated 3,000new homes could improve Pompano Beach’s fortunes, but some community leaders and residents worry an uptick in prices will drive out the Black familieswho have lived there for generations.

Broward County recently signed off on a plan for the city to accommodate thousands of new homes as part of its future downtown. The aim is to lure a massive makeover across about 272 acres east of Interstate 95 off Atlantic Boulevard, the city’s gateway corridor.

But leaders worry the higher values will displace longtime residents from the predominantly Black community. “Youwill force those people to not have the ability to live in this area,” said Broward Mayor Dale Holness, noting that the community dates back generations to when Pompano was known for its farmland and when Black immigrants fromthe Bahamas worked the fields picking beans.

Now, the city finds itself planning to raise the low-income area’s values while avoiding pushing out residents. Other cities