Today we’d like to introduce you to Salim Chraibi.
Hi Salim, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into housing development started with a simple but urgent observation of the displacement happening in Miami-Dade county forcing working families out of this beautiful and thriving county. In Miami-Dade, the people who work here and make it a thriving place to live as a global destination, can’t afford to live here themselves. They are getting priced out. Nurses, teachers, first responders, were being priced out of rental and locked out of homeownership.
While there were some Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs) and programs for affordable rentals, there were no attainable homes being built for purchase. In 2018, I founded Bluenest Development with a vision to change that.
We started small with just six homes and have since grown to more than 2,500 in our pipeline across Miami-Dade. What drives me is the belief that homeownership shouldn’t be a luxury, it should be a path to stability and generational wealth for the families who keep our communities running. I’ve built a company that prioritizes speed, scale, and simplicity, without compromising quality or community values.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Building attainable housing in Miami-Dade means navigating complex zoning, land use politics, and, often, community resistance. One of the biggest challenges we face is the “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) mindset that can stall projects. We’ve had neighbors object to housing for nurses and teachers out of fear it would somehow disrupt their neighborhood character, despite our homes being thoughtfully designed to preserve neighborhood character, owner-occupied, and built to last.
This resistance can lead to delays, redesigns, and in some cases, litigation. We’ve had to fight through red tape, lawsuits, and sudden policy shifts that jeopardized entire projects. I’ll never forget responding to a fire that was started at a construction site in the middle of the night and running in the rain, in pajamas, trying to manage the damage while half the site burned. That’s the reality behind the mission. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real. The wins are hard-earned.
As you know, we’re big fans of Bluenest Development . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Bluenest is reimagining homeownership for the working families of Miami-Dade. We specialize in building high-quality, for-sale homes priced for households earning between 80% and 140% of the area median income. We’re not rental developers, and we’re not building luxury towers. We have one focus, which is to help everyday families own a home where they work, within Miami-Dade County’s borders.
What sets us apart is our integrated model. We manage every part of the process in-house from land acquisition and permitting to construction and sales, which allows us to move with speed and efficiency while maintaining consistent quality. We use a streamlined catalog of pre-approved home designs that reduce permitting times and construction costs without compromising livability or design integrity.
We also work closely with programs that exist such as Miami-Dade County’s first time homeowner programs to help buyers access layered financial assistance, including second and third mortgage programs with subsidized or forgivable terms. Through our 1% Down Payment Program, qualified first-time buyers can purchase a Bluenest home with as little as $4,000 to $5,000 out-of-pocket and access over $100,000 in additional financing support. Monthly payments are often less than monthly rent.
Being able to attain homeownership gives families the stepping stones they need to escape the hamster wheel and achieve stability, equity, and generational wealth. That’s the kind of impact I’m most proud of. We’re not just building homes, we’re building futures.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I originally studied hospitality not housing. But what hospitality taught me is the power of service and design to elevate someone’s daily life. That’s stayed with me. And, I am on the ground for every crisis. Whether it’s a permitting issue or a job site emergency, I show up rain, fire, or flood.
Pricing:
- Our workforce homes are priced around $400,000–$450,000
- Designed for households earning 80%–140% of Miami-Dade’s area median income
- 1% down payment required (approximately $4,000–$5,000)
- Monthly payments often lower than comparable rent
- No PMI (private mortgage insurance)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bluenestdevelopment.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluenestdevelopment/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluenestdevelopment/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salim-chraibi-a11719aa
