North Miami-Dade News

Community members and Miami Beach commissioners came together on Jan. 15 to vote on rather or not the North Beach area should be considered blighted, but were forced to postpone proceedings due to fervent disagreement, the Miami Herald reports.

Labeling North Beach blighted would greenlight community redevelopment efforts and allow for up to $100 million to be reinvested in the community throughout the 20- to 30-year existence of a proposed redevelopment agency. 

Community member disagreement stems from what they consider a lack of involvement and public outreach. Paula King, who hosted the meeting in her home, echoed the community's dissatisfaction in a Facebook message

“I’m against the lack of public outreach,” she stated in her Facebook message. “The public should be driving the bus, not developers and our public servants who have the job of protecting the public trust.”

In 2015, a Miami-Dade County grand jury report stated that anti-blight tax districts can serve as "slush funds" for elected officials and instead of fighting poverty as they were intended, are sometimes utilized for recreational projects. North Beach Commissioner Sally Heyman stated she is not a fan of how anti-blight tax districts are structured, but trusts city commissioners to act in North Beach's best interest.

In 2016, the city approved a redevelopment agency plan titled, The North Beach Master Plan. The plan focused on creating a pedestrian-friendly downtown, developing the Byron Carlyle theater, and improving transportation through additional crosswalks and bike paths. 

Commissioner Mark Samuelian doubled down on his intentions for the redevelopment agency. 

“My goal would be to bring to life the North Beach Master Plan,” Samuelian said. “That is the guiding post.” 

Commissioner Ricky Arriola focused on the bright future a redevelopment agency could provide. 

“They know there’s going to be money in the future that’s going to come from the (redevelopment agency), and is going to be reinvested in the neighborhoods,” Arriola said. “This is an effort to reinvest in the community for decades to come.”

The two previous anti-blight districts have had tremendous financial success. Between 1987 and 2006, the South Pointe Community Redevelopment Agency helped property values rise to 42 times their original value. The City Center Community Redevelopment Agency garnered similar success, bolstering property values by 20 times the original price. 

North Beach, which spans to 87th Terrace to the north and 65th Street to the south, has a median income of $9,500 and has a higher rate of emergency calls, code violations, and vacancies than anywhere else in the city. The community meets nine of the 15 criteria defined by the State of Florida to be considered blighted. Only two of the criteria are needed for consideration.

The commission decided to move the vote to this month to give the city adequate time to plan a community meeting where questions about the development could be answered. 

“I think what people want to know is what you’re planning on doing with the money,” said former Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez. who was present at a meeting of residents a day before the vote. 

She believes a “plan and a promise” will go a long way in earning community member's trust.

A date has yet to be set in February for the city-planned community meeting.