WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The West Palm Beach City Commission voted unanimously in favor of an affordable housing project being spearheaded by The Breakers.
This decision includes changes to the future land use map and a rezoning request, marking a significant step forward for the project.
WATCH BELOW: 'There’s nothing affordable. It’s very high in price,' Manager Antonello Bux tells WPTV's Joel Lopez
The 8-story project is called the Breakers Employee Housing Campus.
It’s a first-of-its-kind employee-based workforce housing project in the city and the county specifically designed for the hotel’s temporary workers.
Paul Leone, the CEO of The Breakers, revealed that they’ve been subsidizing staff housing for over 30 years and felt compelled to do more.
The project is located off of Australian Avenue and Palm Beach Lakes, which will house over 200 of their seasonal staff with an affordable place to live.
The planning to create an affordable apartment complex is in collaboration between the Breakers, VDG Partners Limited and the city of West Palm Beach.
“This is low income, high quality. This is Breakers affordable housing,” said Leone for its temporary employees. “Why? Because employee satisfaction is our number one priority; it’s the key driver to our success.”
The project aims to provide housing for seasonal, international, and other temporary workers, featuring 155 units. The units will have private bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and laundry.
Beyond living spaces, the project will also include a pool, sports field, and more amenities. The initiative has garnered positive feedback from the community.
“You can go anywhere to eat, but The Breakers is all about the service,” said Oliver Copley, who was walking down Worth Avenue on Palm Beach Island. “I think that more companies should do that; most people can’t live in Florida, because of the rent and the expense of living here.”
Rents for the new apartments will range from $1,228 for a studio apartment, rising to as high as $3,000 for a two-bedroom unit. This initiative is part of The Breakers’ effort to address the future housing needs of the resort’s temporary workforce and its labor strategy to support staffing needs.
Additionally, the project will include a shuttle service for these workers to commute to and from the resort, addressing traffic concerns and parking limitations on Palm Beach.
“There’s a problem with parking, especially, so people have to drive here and pay for parking,” said Antonello Bux, the manager of Bice Ristorante on Palm Beach.
“They have to pay until 5 o'clock in the afternoon, so if they have to do a split shift, it’s very costly for them. During the season, it gets very busy, so it’s very difficult to find parking space," said Bux. "That is a second nightmare for them; everywhere you come from, you’re also going to find a lot of traffic.”
Bux believes The Breakers' project is a great idea, as his restaurant has also felt the strain of the housing cost for their staff.
“It’s the same problem for hospitality on all the island,” he noted. “We are an Italian restaurant, so sometimes we hire Italian people, and we need to find a place for them to sleep. There’s nothing affordable. It’s very high in price.”
This affordable housing initiative represents a significant commitment from The Breakers to enhance the living conditions for their temporary workforce while contributing to the overall community well-being in West Palm Beach.
