Housing authority and developer present Midtown master plan and 130‑unit Palms at Lumis affordable project

Housing Daytona Beach presented a broad redevelopment plan for historic Midtown on June 17, saying the housing authority and community partners want to replace aging public housing with modern, mixed‑income communities while preserving one‑for‑one replacement for current residents.

Charles Woodward, representing Housing Daytona Beach, told the commission that nearly 1,000 residents and stakeholders shaped a master plan that reimagines Palmetto Park, Caroline Village and Walnut Oak with new parks, transit connections and resilient stormwater systems. He said the housing authority’s policy requires replaced public housing to be provided one‑for‑one and described a community engagement process used to develop the vision.

Brian Finny, senior vice president of development for Housing Trust Group, described the first project the partnership has penciled in: the Palms at Lumis on about 9.2 acres beside the new Tur T Elementary School. He said the proposal targets 130 units, with an estimated total project cost of about $51.7 million and a capital stack that depends on federal tax‑credit equity, loans and deferred developer fees. “We’re not asking for city cash,” he said, adding the project team expects to seek U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approvals and will pursue local coordination for stormwater and permitting.

The developers estimated a roughly 14‑month predevelopment schedule to breaking ground and a target for residents to move in by December 2028 if financing and approvals align. Finny said the development would be 100% affordable and argued that “affordable” must cover low‑income households as well as working families, using a mix of unit sizes (two‑, three‑ and some four‑bedrooms) to match replacement needs.

Commissioners pressed the team on floodplain and stormwater questions. Finny and Woodward acknowledged the Lumis site is in a flood zone and said the team is evaluating podium construction, raising finished‑floor elevations and other mitigation strategies; Finny said they had budgeted $4 million as a contingency for site‑level mitigation and were coordinating with city stormwater staff on required measures. The housing authority said HUD will not allow a development that is detrimental to surrounding areas and that the team must demonstrate mitigation before construction.

Woodward stressed the goal of economic integration — combining public and workforce housing on quality “class A affordable” sites — and said the authority would issue RFQs for other parcels to attract developer partners. The commission asked staff to coordinate permitting conversations and, where feasible, consider expedited review and other non‑monetary assistance to reduce predevelopment risk.

Why it matters: The project is pitched as replacement housing for existing public‑housing residents and as catalytic investment for Midtown. Developers say the Palms at Lumis can be built without direct general‑fund contributions, but it depends on state and federal subsidy and on city coordination for stormwater and permitting. Neighbors and commissioners expressed particular interest in flood mitigation details and tenant relocation procedures.

What’s next: The housing authority and its chosen developer will continue detailed site planning, obtain state/federal financing awards and work with city staff on stormwater and permits. Commissioners requested follow‑up briefings and clearer mitigation budgets before any final land‑use or funding commitments.

Sources: Presentation and Q&A with Charles Woodward (Housing Daytona Beach) and Brian Finny (Housing Trust Group) at the City Commission meeting on June 17, 2026.