Little Haiti has experienced drastic changes over the past decade, impacting its once-vibrant Haitian community. Observations from residents like Ashley Toussaint, who returned to renovate his father's home, underline the cultural erosion. Despite remaining cultural institutions like the Little Haiti Cultural Complex serving as anchors, the neighborhood is perceived as a 'ghost town' by homeowners of Haitian descent. Gentrification, particularly the forced eviction of residents from the former Sabal Palm housing project, has contributed to the diminishing numbers of Haitians, raising concerns about the community's ability to sustain its culture.
"People who grew up in Little Haiti in its heyday have a lot of the same memories: women carrying baskets on their heads with products to sell, Rara bands filling the Friday night air with music, the smell of Haitian cuisine seeping from the windows. The culture was everywhere."
"Institutions like the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, Chef Creole and Libreri Mapou still serve as cultural anchors for the neighborhood, which was officially named 'Little Haiti' in 2016, but for Haitians who own homes in the area, it feels like 'a ghost town.'"
"Ashley Toussaint, whose father had lived in Little Haiti since 1988, said the neighborhood has become a shell of itself as he's seen the area overrun by gentrification."
"He points to the forced eviction of residents at the former Sabal Palm housing project that began in the 1990s as a turning point. Once filled with Haitian immigrants, it was later transformed into Design Place."
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