U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson joined community leaders and family members Monday for the groundbreaking of the Sgt. La David T. Johnson Veterans Villas, a new affordable housing development named for the late South Florida soldier.
The project is supported by $3 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is a collaboration among CRC Leadership Inc., JL Brown Development Corp., Miami-Dade County and local housing advocates.
Johnson, a Miami Gardens native, was 25 when he was killed in a military mission ambush in Niger in 2017, along with three other American soldiers. Wilson said the name recognizes his service and the sacrifice his family has made.
“I wanted people to understand that we appreciated his sacrifice,” Wilson said. She told CBS News Miami that her goal is to give veterans dignity, safety and a place to live.
Johnson’s wife and son attended the ceremony. His wife said the city’s continued remembrance of her husband is a blessing. Organizers hope to welcome the first veterans into their homes by Christmas 2027.
