Miami, Florida - 5 June, 2025 - Gladys Margarita Diaz, an award-winning entrepreneur, architectural urban designer and dedicated community development housing advocate, has been elected to the Board of Directors for NAHREP - the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals South Florida chapter. This milestone reinforces her commitment to shaping policy at the local, state, and national levels, while continuing to pioneer transformative projects such cofounding an AI tech company, Agent Mira, providing tools for homebuyers. Her support for the arts continues to be channeled through the Gaudí-inspired Coral Rock Village, a cultural haven for artists and scholars sponsoring Art Residencies.
About NAHREP:
Founded in 2001, NAHREP- the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals- is the leading authority advocating for equitable Hispanic homeownership and wealth creation across the US. With a network of over 100 chapters and over 40,000 members, NAHREP drives policy change, delivers homebuyer and wealth building education, and partners with industry leaders to close the Hispanic homeownership and wealth gap.
Why Is Gladys Margarita A Leader In The Design Of Cities?
Key Milestones & Achievements
NAHREP South Florida - National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals
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Election to NAHREP South Florida Board (May 2025): Elected by peers to impact housing policy, strengthen legislative outreach, and expand Hispanic homeownership and wealth-building opportunities across Florida and beyond.
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Policy Leadership: As NAHREP South Florida’s Government Affairs Director, she has successfully advocated for policy initiatives, including the inclusion of ADU (Accessory Dwelling Units) legislation as well as Second Mortgage Programs to strengthen housing affordability.
NAHREP 2025 Gala- L to R – NAHREP Member, Anil Kaul CEO Agent Mira, Gladys Co-Founder Agent Mira, Ray Jourdain Broker, Agent Mira.
Design Policy Leadership for Affordable Housing:
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Design Policy Leadership: Co-Founder and Chair of the Architectural Design Committee for Miami Dade Housing Finance Authority (MDHFA) ensuring implementation of design criteria to guarantee affordable housing enhances quality of life for residents and improves communities. This recently resulted in the MDHFA winning the National Multifamily Award of Excellence 2024 in recognition of the attributes of one of the projects financed by the Miami Dade Housing Finance Authority, received at the National Local Housing Finance Authority Conference (NALHFA) in Las Vegas.
Gladys Margarita Diaz at the NAHLFA National Conference in Las Vegas with the award for excellence in design of the project in Miami.
Coral Rock Village – A Historic Landmark Development Project:
Coral Rock Village Development (2000–2025): Spearheaded the restoration of historic Coral Gables cottages into a community that provides “Homes for Creative Minds: Empowering the Artist in You”. The village features Gaudí-inspired mosaics, provides Art Residencies since Art Basel 2007 and includes year-round cultural programming.
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HGTV Feature (2006): Coral Rock Village showcased on “Small Space, Big Style,” highlighting innovative design in compact living.
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Dade Heritage Trust Award (2007): Honored for excellence in historic renovation and preservation of the Coral Rock Village cottages.
Coral Rock Village – A Historic Landmark Development Project by Gladys Margarita Díaz.
Ford Motor Company Latina Entrepreneur Award:
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Ford Driving Dreams Latina Entrepreneur Grant (2021): Named one of 75 Latina entrepreneurs nationwide as grant recipient for pioneering creative community development and support for Latino artists. Funded by the Ford Motor Company’s philanthropic arm, Ford Motor Company Fund, Emergent Americas, and the National Development Council.
Gladys Margarita Diaz at her booth at the X Contemporary Art Fair at the Eden Roc Hotel during Art Basel 2016 with artwork by Cuban contemporary artists.
Neighborhood Stabilization Program Developer:
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Public-Private Partnerships: Secured multi-million-dollar grants from the 2008 real estate crisis American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) to finance affordable multifamily developments. This resulted in the revitalization of the area immediately adjacent to the historic Hampton House Motel, which was featured in the Oscar-nominated film ‘One Night in Miami’ directed by Regina King about a night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm S, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown met.
The lobby of Hampton House hotel is adjacent to the affordable housing development Hampton Village, developed by Gladys Margarita Diaz in partnership.
American Landmark Apartments Artist In Residence Co-Founder:
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Artist in Residence program (2020-2025): Co-Founder of Artist in Residence program for Multifamily property owner American Landmark Apartments providing free housing and studio space for emerging artists to support career development. Program has expanded to 10 buildings in the 32,000 unit portfolio.
Image of feature article in Multifamily Executive Magazine with Gladys Margarita Diaz, Joseph Lubeck CEO and artist Artem Mirelovich.
Cornell University Faculty Member:
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Educational Outreach: Established a Community Development Internship Program for Cornell University in Miami. Cornell University cultivates a diverse, inclusive community and challenges alumni to address global issues and enrich society. Gladys Margarita was appointed Visiting Faculty and developed the program in collaboration with the FNMA Foundation, Enterprise Foundation, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and various Miami Dade housing organizations to provide students with real-life experience in community development and affordable housing.
Cornell University article about Gladys Margarita Diaz faculty program.
Policy and Society Influence:
Gladys Margarita Diaz’s leadership bridges the worlds of design and legislation. She ensures that public policy supports quality urban design and affordable housing initiatives meet technical standards. All her advocacy is to foster neighborhood vitality and design initiatives prioritize resident well-being, environmental sustainability, and cultural enrichment.
Featured Quote
“I believe that every policy decision and design choice must uplift the people it serves. By combining art-inspired living spaces with sound legislative advocacy, we create homes—and communities—that enhance our culture.” — Gladys Margarita Diaz, Government Affairs Director, NAHREP South Florida
Left to right: Jack Lowell (Partner, Codina/Bush Group), Governor of Florida (now U.S. Senator) Rick Scott, Gladys Margarita Díaz — honored with the Key to the City of Coral Gables in Miami — joined by her husband, Ray Jourdan, a leading realtor in Miami.
Upcoming Visionary Initiatives:
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Future vision for Agent Mira: Building on the success of her career in design and real estate, Gladys Margarita is now the co-founder of AI empowered Agent Mira brokerage. The company has an AI-emboldened homeownership advocacy platform to deliver personalized market insights, legislative updates and community-engagement tools that empower buyers nationwide. By integrating policy alerts, virtual home tours and educational resources, Agent Mira aims to close the homeownership gap while nurturing sustainable, culturally rich neighborhoods.
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Coral Rock Village as a cultural haven: Continuing Gladys Margarita Diaz’s legacy of art-inspired development, Coral Rock Village will deepen partnerships with local museums, universities and arts collectives to host residencies, pop-up exhibitions and community events. This evolving creative ecosystem will elevate cultural exchange, support emerging artists and showcase how thoughtful design and advocacy can transform places into dynamic homeownership and cultural anchors.
Press Release by: Reinaldo Vandres
Media Contact: Reinaldo Vandres, Public Relations Manager, Coral Rock Village
Email: info@coralrockvillage.com
Phone: + 1 (714) 926-1058
Hashtags & Social Handles: #GladysDiazAdvocacy | #NAHREPSouthFL | #CoralRockVillage | @GladysMDiaz @NAHREP @UrbanizaStudio
Media Contact
Company Name: Coral Rock Village
Contact Person: Reinaldo Vandres
Email: Send Email
Phone: (714) 926-1058
Address:1301 Milan Ave.
City: Coral Gables
State: FL 33134
Country: United States
Website: www.coralrockvillage.com