Housing Developments

Dunbar Village

Local Public Housing Authorities, (PHAs) were created under the Housing Act of 1937. Dunbar Village was built in 1940 and includes 246 units.  The West Palm Beach Housing Authority was established in 1938 after the original Housing act became law. Dunbar Village was built in 1939. It was the first public housing community in West Palm Beach, and was designated as a segregated community for black families. The original site of seventeen acres included 246 housing units and an administration building. Since then, a community center and maintenance facility have been added and twenty units have been converted to resident service uses leaving 226 units. The West Palm Beach Housing Authority owns and operates Dunbar Village – 246 units - Built in 1940 (one of the oldest in the State of Florida). Dunbar was built for West Palm Beach's low-income African American communities. Dunbar Village is one of the first housing projects in the state of Florida. It was named for the African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. The configuration of Dunbar Village is similar to hundreds of public housing developments built in the 1930's and 40's, with apartment buildings arranged in a linear 'barracks' style. The original landscaping plans indicate some thought went into the placement of shade and ornamental palm trees. However, few, if any of these trees remain standing sixty-five years later. Some healthy trees and shrubs do thrive, despite the lack of irrigation.

Dunbar Campus

The “Dunbar Campus” includes the Administrative Offices, the Career Development Center, a Child Care Center, Housing Programs offices, and a multipurpose conference room.

Dunbar Village is the largest single parcel of land within the Coleman Park subdivision of West Palm Beach, and sits at the center of the neighborhood. Coleman Park is easily defined and is bounded by Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. to the south, the FEC railroad to the west, 23rd Street to the north, and the CSX railroad to the east. The CSX railway yard, and the corresponding light industrial uses continue to be active on the eastern edge. Tamarind Avenue bisects the neighborhood as a neighborhood commercial corridor.